Neena Varakil Biography 
Neena Varakil is an Indian athlete from Kerala competing in the long jump event. A winner of several national level and international events, she most recently won a silver medal at 2017 Asian Athletics Championships – Women's long jump. She repeated success in 2018 Asian games when she clinched a silver in long jump event. Varakil’s best jump of 6.51m came in the fourth attempt, which was enough to fetch her the silver in the event, thus finishing second. She participated in Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet in Jiaxing in China, jumped 6.37m in the sixth and final round and won a gold.
Neena Varakil was born on 2 May 1991 in Meyyapur of Kozhikode district from Kerala. At the age of 25, she won a silver in women's long jump in the first leg at another Chinese city of Jinhua with an effort of 6.46m. 6.66m is her personal best.
Neena Varakil stole the limelight from rest of Indian team when she bagged the gold in women's long jump. India won six medals in the second leg of the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet last year in 2017. She jumped 6.37m to win the gold. Chinese Xu Xiao Ling also had a best effort of 6.37m but she had to settle with silver. With her silver medal at 2017 Asian Athletics Championships and 2018 Asian games, her name is now counted among the top athletes of the country.
She is the first Indian long jumper to finish on the Asian Games podium when she clinched the silver medal in the 2018 edition. The last Indian to win a long jump medal was Anju Bobby George, who clinched the silver in Asian games 2006 edition.
Published: August 30, 2018
Updated: August 30, 2018
