14 Years, 75 International Competition, Shiny Wilson Was The First Indian Woman Athletic
By: Sandeep Gupta Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:57:59
Shiny Wilson (nee Abraham) (born 8 May 1965) is a retired Indian athlete. She has been a National Champion in 800 metres for 14 years. Shiny Abraham Wilson (Shiny Abraham) represented India more than 75 times in international competition. She holds the added distinction of representing Asia in four World Cups, She is also perhaps the only athlete to have taken part in six Asian Track & Field Meets in a row beginning 1985 in Jakarta. During this period she won seven gold, five silver and two bronze medals in the Asiad competitions. She collected a total or 18 gold and two silver medals from the seven South Asian Federation (SAF) Meets she has competed.
Born at Thodupuzha in Idukki district of Kerala on 8 May 1965, Shiny became interested in athletics as a child but developed her skills after joining the sports division in Kottayam.
In fact Shiny, PT Usha and M D Valsamma studied at the same sports division in various parts of Kerala and as they grew up, they were coached by the NIS coach P. J. Devesla.
Shiny Abraham's athletics career ran alongside that of PT Usha from the time the two of them represented the country in the Asian Games in New Delhi in 1982. Shiny became national champion in the 800 metres a year before the Asian Games in Delhi.[1]
After that and until she announced her retirement, she has won the event every time she did the course on the national scene, A veteran of four Olympics and three Asian Games, Shiny has some great moments to cherish, particularly the experience in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where she became the first woman from India to enter the semi-final of an Olympic event.[1] And more importantly, she was part of the relay squad which set the Asian record there and again when it improved upon that mark during the World Championship in Rome in 1987.
Shiny also has some bitter memories, of the day when she cut into the inner lane and was disqualified while very much in front of the field during the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. She also cherishes the memory of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when she became the first woman to be the flag bearer for India at the Olympics.
Shiny Abraham has participated in four Olympic Games: Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988),
Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta(1996). .
Although she didn't win any medals at any of the four Olympics, she and P.T. Usha powered India to an unexpected Women's 4X400 relay final at the 1984 Games.
She was also the captain of the Indian Contingent at the 1992 Games.
She has also represented India in three Asian Games and has won a Gold, 2 Silvers and a Bronze.
In the Asian Track and Field meets, she has won 7 Gold Medals, 6 Silver Medals and 2 Bronze Medals.
Represented India for more than 75 Times .
First Indian Women athlete to reach the semi-finals in Olympics in women's 800m
First Indian woman captain and flag bearer for Indian Contingent for 1996 Atlanta Olympics