Who is Krishna Poonia?
Krishna Poonia (1982 – ) is an Indian athlete who competes in the womens discuss throw event. She is an international gold-medalist discus thrower. In 2010 at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, she took the gold medal by throwing 61.5 metres becoming the first woman to win gold in any women’s track and field events at a CW games.
The discus throw
The discus throw is a track and field event in which an athlete throws a heavy disc (discus) to the further distance they can.
Where did she grow up?
The medal-winning athlete was born on 5th May, 1977 in Agroha, Haryana and now lives in Jaipur. Poonia is an employee of the Indian railways as is her husband Virender Singh Poonia, who is also a former athlete. She studied sociology at the Kanodia Girls College in Jaipur and began her sporting career under the guidance of her husband at the Doha Asian Games in 2006.
What are some of her achievements?
Poonia began her sporting career by winning a bronze medal at the Doha Asian Games in 2006. By winning a medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, she became the first Indian woman to achieved such a feat. Despite not faring well at the 2012 London Olympics, she became the sixth Indian to have ever reached the final round of the track and field events at the Olympics. She also holds the national record for furthest discus throw, with a distance of 64.76 meters.
Awards and Honours
In 2010, after clinching gold at the CW games, Krishna was awarded the Arjuna Award, given to athletes for excellence in a national sport. The following year she was awarded the Padma Shri.
Krishna Poonia’s Events
- Discuss throw
The discobolus is a famous statue. Can you find out who the sculptor is and why this particular statue was replicated so many times?
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