Wait for Anju Baby George

She has informed the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) of her unavailablity for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year and says she will decide on her future only after the baby arrives.

Keen on a quieter time,Anju told The Sunday Express: “The decision to have a baby was a studied one. I wanted to take a break from the field.”

Says husband Bobby George,himself a triple jumper and her coach: “At the moment we are very excited about the baby. As for Anju’s return to the sport,it will be her decision.”

Anju,32,is considered India’s best bet of the last decade despite her off-colour showing at Beijing. She first hit international headlines with her bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games at Manchester,clearing 6.49 m,then went on to climb over 50 places in rankings.

Her best ranking of 4 came in the summer of 2004,she won a bronze leaping 6.70 m at the 2003 World Championships in Paris and a silver with 6.75 m at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005. However,her brightest moment was when she jumped 6.83 m at the 2004 Olympic Games at Athens to finish sixth and the London Olympics 2012 will remain her target if she chooses to return.

India has a Supermom example in M C Marykom,who is aiming for London after the birth of her twins two years ago. Quite a few mothers made the grade at Beijing: the list topped by Chinese judo champion Xian Dongmei,32,who won a gold and 40-year-old American swimmer Dara Torres picking silver with their proud kids looking on.

Last year also witnessed tennis-mom Kim Clijsters returning to win a Grand Slam and moms-on-the-run are no strangers to athletics with Gail Devers edging out her closest rival at the 60-metre hurdle,and Paula Radcliffe not giving up on her marathons after childbirth.