As she prepares to start her campaign in the new season at the Doha Super Grand Prix on May 13, India's ace long jumper Anju Bobby George has set herself three goals.
Anju, who became the only Indian to win a medal in the World Athletics Championships when she landed the bronze in Paris in 2003, wants to break into the top three world rankings, win a medal again at the World championships and come out with seven metre-plus jumps consistently.
The Kerala athlete will also participate in the Prefontaine Classic at Eugene, Orgon, USA, in early June, and thereafter the Asian Grand Prix series in Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok, and European circuit events.
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"In fact, it's going to be a long season; I am planning to take part in 20 to 24 international meets this season culminating with the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year," Anju said in Bangalore.
"The Helsinki World Championship in August is the main focus," the 28-year-old added.
"I am not only looking forward to defend the medal, but also to improve on that," the world number six added.
Anju's husband and coach Bobby George, a former triple-jump champion said: "She can do much better than 6.83 metres, which is her personal competition best. She has crossed seven metres in training last year.
"She is going to cross seven metres a few times this year," added George.
Anju will be participating in the Asian Athletics Championship for the first time in her career.
Bobby said this time the focus of training is on consistency and "energy distribution on the approach" as the effort would be to see that Anju places her foot exactly on the board, does not lose "measuring distance" and commit fouls.
"I feel she has improved her speed," he said, adding that the training pattern had been designed in such fashion that Anju peaks by early August.
Anju, who has been among the top ten in the world since August 2003, said, "If I peak early, that will affect my performance at the World Championship."
The Asian Games' gold and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, said that for European meets, she may consider London as the training base for a brief period.
Bobby said but for her "falling ill" at the Athens Olympics, she could have come out with a better performance.
"She has crossed 6.90 metres-plus many times. 6.83 metres is not matching with what Anju's has been doing in the past few years."
Anju would not say how many more years she would compete at the top level.
"Right now I am enjoying training and competing. Bobby is enjoying the role of a coach. Until I feel it's enough, I will go ahead."
