K.M. Beenamol

Kalayathumkuzhi Mathews Beenamol, born on 15th August 1975 in Kerala, is an international track and field athlete who is the third woman to reach in the Olympics semi-finals after P.T. Usha and Shiny Wilson. She achieved this feat in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She made history in the 2002 Busan Asian Games when she and her brother K.M. Binu became the first Indian siblings to win medals at the same international competition. Binu won the silver medal in men’s 800m, and Beenamol won the gold in the women’s 800m event.

A glimpse of some of her career achievements:

• Clinched two gold and one silver medal in 1992 Asian Junior Athletics Championships and one silver and two bronze medals at the 1994 Asian Junior Athletics Championships.
• Won the gold medal in 4 x 400m relay and silver medal in 400m event at the 2000 Asian Athletics Championships.
• Bagged gold medals in 800m and 4 x 400m relay and silver medal in women’s 400m event at the 2002 Busan Asian Games.
• Conferred with the Arjuna award in 2000 for her exceptional achievements in athletics.
• Honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2002-03 along with Anjali Bhagwat.
• Bestowed with India’s 4th highest civilian honour, Padma Shri award in 2004