Indian athlete Anju Bobby George wins ‘Woman of the Year’ Award by World Athletics for grooming talent and encouraging young girls in India to take up sports and fight for gender equality.
Anju Bobby George said she was “Truly humbled and honoured to be awarded Woman of the Year by World Athleticsâ€.
“There is no better feeling than to wake up everyday and give back to the sport, allowing it to enable and empower young girls! Thank you for recognising my efforts,†she tweeted.
The 2003 World Championships bronze medalist in long jump was awarded ‘Woman of the Year’ for constantly being the voice of change in the country and guiding young girls to follow her footsteps.
“The former international long jump star from India is still actively involved in the sport. In 2016, she opened a training academy for young girls, which has already helped to produce a world U20 medallist,†World Athletics said in a release.
Anju, a senior vice-president of the Indian Athletics Federation, coaches many young girls through her training academy, which has already assisted numerous athletes, including U-20 gold medalist Shaili Singh, to thrive in international athletics competitions.
She is also the chairperson of the Athletes Commission of the Indian Olympic Association.