Having made history by her bronze medal winning effort in the World Championshipsin Paris, long jumper Anju Bobby George said her feat was a "gift" for her country which is yet to see an Olympic medal winningathlete.
Anju, an Asian Games gold medallist, became the first Indian ever to win a medal at the World Championships when sherecorded a leap of 6.70 metres yesterday.
"It is a gift for India," said the athlete as the news of her achievement was lapped up by the fans, media and sportsadministrators with pleasant disbelief back in her country.
But the 26-year-old Anju said she had felt "confident" right since the morning of the eventful day.
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"I was feeling confident when I woke up this morning," she said.
Perhaps a little more confident was her coach -- the legendary Mike Powell who said he was now hoping for a goldfrom her.
"She is a natural jumper. I'm looking forward to her winning the gold in Athens," said Powell, winner of the worldtitles in 1991 and 1993.
Anju, who also won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester lastyear, too said Athens would be her next target and would put all her effort to break the Olympic medal jinx of India.
"But we need better guidance and better facilities. However, the government has sponsored us and is supporting usto go elsewhere (for training)," she said.
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Yesterday, France's Eunice Barber won the gold with a jump of 6.99 metres while Tatyana Kotova of Russia took the silver with6.74m.
Anju bagged her prized bronze medal with a leap of 6.70m which surpassed her season best of 6.65m.
There was drama at the Saint-Denis Stadium as Anju's first jump of 6.61 immediately placed her at the top.
But Barber and Kotova jointly cleared 6.74 on their second attempts while Jade Johnson of Great Britain went 6.63in her third to push Anju down to fourth position.
Anju also fouled her second and third attempts before coming up with 6.56 in the fourth. Then sheproduced her best effort in the fifth.
This was also the round in which Kotova came up with her second best of 6.72 which helped her break the tie for thegold medal position.
But Barber hit back in the final attempt with her season best 6.99 to take the gold.
Johnson though could manage only 6.63 in the last round, thereby leaving Anju with the bronze.
PTI
