Who was the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships?
- A.P. T. Usha
- B.Anju Bobby George
- C.Neeraj Chopra
- D.Hima Das
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Anju Bobby George. She took the bronze in the long jump at the 2003 World Championships at Paris, and that was the first medal India won at a senior World Athletics Championships. Her best jump of 6.83 metres, set at Athens in 2004, stood as the national mark for many years.
Option A, P. T. Usha, won a mountain of Asian medals and came fourth at the 1984 Olympics, but she never stood on a World Championships podium. Option C, Neeraj Chopra, won the world title in 2023 and a silver in 2022, both two decades after Anju's bronze, so he is not the first. Option D, Hima Das, won her 400 metres gold at the World Under-20 Championships in 2018, which is a junior meet and a different competition from the senior Worlds. The word first, and the word senior, decide this question.
Read the full article: Athletics and Indian Athletes: Events and Facts
Practice Questions
View allIn which of the following sports of Tokyo Olympic 2020, Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal?
- A.Javelin throw
- B.Badminton
- C.Tennis
- D.Weight lifting
Show answer
Neeraj Chopra won the men's javelin throw at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were held in 2021, and that medal was India's first Olympic gold in athletics and its first individual gold since shooting in 2008.
Read the full explanation →What is the standard distance of a marathon race?
- A.40 km
- B.42.195 km
- C.45 km
- D.50 km
Show answer
A marathon is run over 42.195 kilometres, which is exactly 26 miles and 385 yards. The odd figure was fixed at the London Olympics of 1908, when the course was extended to finish in front of the royal box, and it became the official distance a few years later.
Read the full explanation →Which Indian athlete was popularly known as the Flying Sikh?
- A.Gurbachan Singh Randhawa
- B.Milkha Singh
- C.Sriram Singh
- D.Joginder Singh
Show answer
He earned the name in Pakistan after beating the home favourite at a meet in Lahore, and it stayed with him.
Read the full explanation →The Indian athlete P. T. Usha is popularly called
- A.Dhing Express
- B.Payyoli Express
- C.Golden Girl of Kerala
- D.Udan Pari
Show answer
P. T. Usha comes from Payyoli in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, and her speed on the track earned her the name of her village.
Read the full explanation →How many events make up the decathlon?
- A.Seven
- B.Eight
- C.Ten
- D.Twelve
Show answer
The word decathlon is built from the Greek deca, meaning ten, and athlon, meaning contest. It is a men's combined event held over two days, and its ten disciplines take in sprints, hurdles, the middle-distance 1500 metres, jumps and throws.
Read the full explanation →