Kalayathumkuzhi Mathews Beenamol, popularly known as K. M. Beenamol (born 15 August 1975), from Kombidinjal, Idukki district, Kerala is an international athlete from India.

K. M. Beenamol
Beenamol handing over the Queen's Baton to the Chief Minister of Kerala in 2010
Personal information
Full nameKalayathumkuzhi Mathews Beenamol
National teamIndia
CitizenshipIndian
Born (1975-08-15) 15 August 1975 (age 49)
Kombidinjal, Idukki district, Kerala, India
Years active1990–2004
EmployerIndian Railways
Height163 cm (5 ft 4 in)[1]
Weight50 kg (110 lb)[1]
SpouseDr. Vivek George
Sport
CountryIndia
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Sprint (400 m)
Middle-distance (800 m)
Relay (4 × 400 m)
Coached byRaju Paul
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 m: 51.21 (Kyiv, 2000)[2]
800 m: 2:02.01 (New Delhi, 2002)[2]
4 × 400 m relay: 3:26.89 (Athens, 2004) NR
Medal record

Professional athletics career

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Beenamol and her brother K. M. Binu became the first Indian siblings to win medals in a major international competition.[citation needed] Binu won a silver medal in men's 800m race.[citation needed]

Olympics

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It was during 2000 Summer Olympics, Beenamol was largely unknown, until she became the third Indian woman to reach an Olympic semi-final since P. T. Usha and Shiny Wilson, who achieved almost the same feat in 400m Hurdles in 800m respectively in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[citation needed]

Asian games

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She won the gold medal in women's 800m and the 4 × 400 m women's relay in the 2002 Asian Games held at Busan.[3][4][5]

Achievements

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2000 Asian Championships Jakarta, Indonesia   Gold 4 × 400 m relay 3:31.54
  Silver 400 m 51.41
2002 Asian Games Busan, South Korea   Gold 800 m 2:04.17
  Gold 4 × 400 m relay 3:30.84
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:26.89 NR

Awards

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Beenamol was conferred Arjuna Award in 2000 for her exemplary achievement in her athletic career.[6][7] She is also the joint winner of India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in the year 2002–2003 along with Anjali Ved Pathak Bhagwat.[8][9] In 2004, she was awarded the Padma Shri.[10]

Personal life

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K. M. Beenamol is married to Vivek George, a pathologist, and has 2 children, Ashwin and Haile (named after Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie).[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "K. M. Beenamol". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b "K. Mathews Beenamol IAAF Profile". IAAF. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Kombodinjal basks in Beenamol, Binu's glory". Rediff. 16 October 2002. Archived from the original on 24 November 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  4. ^ Sen Gupta, Abhijit (16 May 2002). "She's been at it". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 April 2004. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  5. ^ "'Star of the Year' award for Beenamol". The Hindu. 19 November 2004. Archived from the original on 23 November 2004. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Arjun Award - Sports". Indian Olympic Association. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. ^ "List of Arjuna Award Winners". Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Government of India. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Arjuna Awards, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya awards given away". Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 29 August 2003. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award". Indian Olympic Association. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Padma Awards directory (1954-2014)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. Government of India. p. 136. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
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