World Cup, Asiad are priorities: Anju

New Delhi: World number four long jumper Anju Bobby George is raring to get back to her winning ways and has already set her sights on the Athletics World Cup and Doha Asian Games.

"My two main aims for the rest of the season are the World Cup in Greece in September and the Doha Asiad in December," Anju said.

"I am definitely eyeing the gold at the Asian Games," she said.

Athletes from Japan, Thailand, Kazakhstan and China are expected to be her main rivals at the mega event, she said.

Anju, who took some time off after returning from Melbourne, has since resumed training. She will be seen in action at five meets in Asia and the United States.

She would start with the Super Grand Prix at Doha on May 12 followed by the Asian Grand Prix at Bangkok (May 18), Bangalore (May 22) and Pune (May 26). Anju will round off the month with the Prefontaine Classic at Eugene in the US on May 28.

"After that I will again take rest and prepare for the World Cup at Athens," she said.

She qualified for the World Cup by virtue of winning the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championship at Incheon, South Korea, last September. The event is a contest between continental teams besides those from some select countries.

However, Anju has not decided her detailed schedule leading up to the Doha Games yet as she thinks that could be worked out in due course.

"We have resumed training only three weeks ago and it is too short a time for working on specifics. We are continuing with our usual training drills," Anju said.

Talking about the Melbourne Games, where she finished sixth, she said her body was not in peak condition at the mega event.

"I was suffering from infection and felt restless which had an adverse impact on my performance. Basically my body was not at its peak so early in the year," Anju said.

But she has regained full fitness since and is looking forward to the competitions in the coming months.

"I am slowly building up to my peak and am hopeful of good performances at the big events coming up."

Anju has decided to reduce the number of Grand Prix events she will participate in.

"I will not jump at many European Grand Prix this year, probably only three or four, depending on the meets which have women's long jump events," she said.

Unlike her training stint in South Africa at the beginning of this year, Anju also does not plan to train abroad for the remainder of 2006.

"There is a very good gymnasium here in Bangalore and I don't need to go abroad for training."