Athletics
Shiny Wilson nominated for the Asian Athletic Commission membership
Track and field legend Shiny Wilson represented India in four Olympics. She notably reached the semifinal of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Shiny Wilson (middle) with Indian legends Anju Bobby George (right) and PT Usha (left).
India's track and field legend Shiny Wilson has been nominated for membership of the Asian Athletic Commission for four years, 2024-2028. The nomination was confirmed via a virtual meeting held on Monday by the chairman of the Asian Athletic Commission, Mohd. Suleiman.
After being nominated for the membership, the former four-time Olympian remarked, "It is a great honour to be nominated. I am so happy".
Shiny is considered a legend in the Indian athletic circle. She represented India in four Olympic Games (1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atalanta), three Asian Games, six Asian Championships and seven SAF Games.
She won 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals in the Asian Games as well as 7 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals from the Asian Track and Field Meets.
She was the first Indian track and field athlete to make it to the semifinal stage at the Olympic Games, achieving the feat in Los Angeles in 1984.
Shiny set the 800m national record after returning just months after childbirth, making it a significant milestone not just in the sport but also for women's empowerment as marriage and childbirth are usually considered the finish line of a woman athlete.
Notably, in the 1992 Olympic Games, she became the first woman to carry the Indian flag in the Athlete’s Parade at an Olympic Games.
Shiny broke her own 800m national record during the SAF Games in Madras in 1995, setting it at 1:59.85s, becoming the first Indian woman to finish the race in under two minutes.
She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1995 and the coveted Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian award, in 1998.
