NEW DELHI: Disappointed at the way she was made to miss the final of the World indoor championships in Moscow, Anju Bobby George vowed on Tuesday that she would be more "vigilant next time."

Having returned here from the freezing cold of Moscow in the early hours of Tuesday, Anju and husband-coach Bobby George were getting ready to proceed to the milder climes of Melbourne and looked forward to putting up a good show at the Commonwealth Games.

"I might be a little behind in my preparations this time, but the spirit of the competition has always brought the best out of me," said Anju, speaking about the prospect of living up to her World ranking of No 4 in a season that has not really started on a bright note.

Anju was the bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester four years ago and knows well that the country expects her to win the gold this time.

"We haven't had enough time to prepare for the Games. But, in practice she is jumping pretty close to her personal best," Bobby George revealed.

"I need to get the rhythm of a competition, my training jumps are fine," added Anju.

Unfazed by Thompson

Asked about the prospect of facing Bronwyn Thompson who has touched 6.91m this season, apart from having a couple of 6.70m-plus jumps, Anju pointed out that the Australian had jumped seven metres coming into the Manchester Games but had finished a disappointing sixth with only 6.38m.

Anju's bronze then had come after a 6.49m jump while those ahead of her were Jade Johnson of Britain (6.59m) and Elva Goulbourne of Jamaica (6.70m).

"We will have to accept the fact that the host country will have some advantage," said Bobby George tongue-in-cheek, recalling the bitter experience of Moscow where he was convinced that Anju was deprived of a place in the final by the callousness of the technical officials.

Bobby and Anju explained that just as it had happened in Monaco last year during the World Athletics Final, Anju's last jump in the qualification round in Moscow did not come up on the display board for nearly two minutes.

"It was clearly a malfunctioning of the computer system. And they just put 6.33m, the mark that was recorded in the previous round by another jumper," said Bobby.

Before Anju could press her protest, the sand was levelled.

A `humiliating' decision

Bobby said that for Anju's previous jump, the measurement was taken from a mark caused by a careless official instead of from where Anju had landed. That measured 6.34m.

"It was rather humiliating for me to be out of the final. Barring an occasion in Berlin in 2004, I haven't been out of the final of a major meet since 2003," said Anju. "In fact I have invariably finished within the top six."

"They (jury) could have given her the benefit of doubt instead of rejecting my protest," said Bobby. "They could have included her as the ninth finalist under the circumstances."

The jury note stated: "Having heard the opinion of the judges, ITO as well as having checked the Seiko system, we reject the appeal."

According to Bobby, there was no meeting of the jury nor were they asked to explain their contentions. No video recording of the jumps in Anju's group was available.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has noted Anju's plight and is taking up the matter with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Anju and Bobby are scheduled to leave for Melbourne on Wednesday.

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