World Athletics has awarded sprinter Anju Bobby George as 'Woman of the Year' after her efforts in advancing the sport in India as well as inspiring more women to follow in her footsteps made her more than a worthy recipient of this year's award.
George, 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.
A constant voice for gender equality in her role as Senior Vice President of the Indian Athletics Federation, Bobby George also mentors schoolgirls for future leadership positions within the sport, and hence she was awarded Woman of the Year.
Olympic champions Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica and Karsten Warholm of Norway were named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021, a ceremony held virtually on Wednesday.
Thompson-Herah produced one of the finest sprint seasons in history this year, retaining her Olympic 100m and 200m titles in Tokyo and adding a third gold medal in the 4x100m relay. On top of her Olympic triple, she also clocked world-leading times of 10.54 and 21.53 over 100m and 200m respectively, moving to second on the world all-time lists and coming within touching distance of the long-standing world records.
"I just take it year by year," said Thompson-Herah in an official release. "I went very close to the world record so you know, anything is possible. No spikes hanging up any time soon,"
The World Championships in Oregon is most definitely my next big target," she added. "It is close to home, I hope friends and family can come out and watch. I hope I get some crowd as well. That couldn't happen in Tokyo but hopefully, in Eugene, I can get my friends and family to come and cheer me on."
( With inputs from ANI )
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