>Scorpions13256: Copying from Category:20th-century Indian women to Category:20th-century Indian people non-diffusing subcategory using Cat-a-lot

2021-06-21T14:45:41Z

Copying from Category:20th-century Indian women to Category:20th-century Indian people non-diffusing subcategory using Cat-a-lot

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{{short description|Indian athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox athlete
| name = Mercy Kuttan
| image = Mercy_kuttan1.jpg
| imagesize = 192px
| caption = Mercy Kuttan
| fullname = Mercy Matthews-Kuttan
| nicknames =
| nationality = [[India]]n
| sport = [[Track and field]]
| event = [[400 metres]], [[Long jump]]
| club =
| collegeteam =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1960|01|01}}
| birth_place = [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| residence =
|retired=
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| country = India
|medaltemplates={{MedalSport | Women's [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[1982 Asian Games|1982 New Delhi]] | Long jump}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Athletics Championships]]}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1981 Asian Championships in Athletics|1981 Tokyo]] | Long jump}}
{{MedalBronze| 1981 Tokyo| 4×400 m relay}}
}}

'''Mercy Kuttan''' (born 1 January 1960) is a former [[India]]n [[track and field]] athlete. She was the first Indian woman [[long jumper]] to cross six meters.<ref name="jun09a">{{cite news
|title = No ‘Mercy’ when it comes to hard work
|url = http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/10/stories/2009061060161800.htm
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090614040858/http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/10/stories/2009061060161800.htm
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = 14 June 2009
|date = 10 June 2009
|newspaper = [[The Hindu]]
|accessdate = 2009-06-16
}}</ref> In 1989, Mercy received [[Arjuna Award]] for her contribution to the Indian athletics.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071225221945/http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm#Athletics List of Arjuna Awardees]</ref>
She is currently the President of the Kerala State Sports Council.<ref>[http://sportscouncil.kerala.gov.in/]</ref>

==Career==
Mercy was born in [[Kerala]]; her first international success came in [[1981 Asian Championships in Athletics]] when she won the double bronze in the [[long jump]] and [[4 x 400 metres relay]]. In the next year at [[1982 Asian Games]] when she won a silver medal in the long jump.<ref name="DH">{{cite news|publisher=Deccan Herald|title=Mercy Kuttan Athletic Academy launched|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/7547/mercy-kuttan-athletic-academy-launched.html|date=11 June 2009|accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> She represented India in long jump at [[1983 World Championships in Athletics]], but did not qualify for the final round.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.iaaf.org/results/past/WCH83/data/W/LJ/Rq.html |title=Past Results - 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics Helsinki |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |accessdate=2009-06-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823234826/http://www2.iaaf.org/results/past/WCH83/data/W/LJ/Rq.html |archivedate=2009-08-23 }}</ref> Mercy has the distinction of being the first woman from Kerala to win a medal in the Asian Track and Field meet.<ref name="DH" /> Her personal best in long jump is 6.29 m.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} In the latter stage of her career she switched to [[Sprint (running)|sprint]] and started competing in [[400 metres]]. She competed in 400 metres at [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul Olympics]] and managed to reach the second round.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Sportstar|title=India at the Games|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/tss/tss3131/stories/20080802502602300.htm|date=2 August 2008|accessdate=2009-06-20}}{{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Mercy is married to [[Murali Kuttan]], a former 400 metres national champion and is the mother of two sons, Suraj Kuttan and [[Sujith kuttan|Sujith Kuttan]]. Mercy and Murali were the first Indian athletic couple to be national champions and win Asian medals.<ref name="hindu_aug09">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/08/22/stories/2009082253130800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107102146/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/08/22/stories/2009082253130800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-07|title=Right on Track|date=2009-08-22|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=2009-10-10|location=[[Thiruvananthapuram]]}}</ref> Murlai took the role of the coach and had influenced Mercy to shift from long jump to 400 metres. Both Mercy and Murali worked for [[Tata Steel]], [[Jamshedpur]]. They are currently{{when|date=April 2018}} running the "Mercy Kuttan Athletics Academy" in [[Kochi (India)|Kochi]].<ref name="hindu_jun09">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/12/stories/2009061256101800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616103945/http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/12/stories/2009061256101800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-06-16|title=Sports hostel status for Mercy Kuttan’s academy |date=2009-06-12|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=2009-10-10}}</ref>

==Achievements==
;National Level
*1976 – 78—National School games champion in long jump
*1979 – 80—All India Inter-University champion in 100 m, 200 m, and long jump
*1979 – 87—National Champion in long jump
*1988—National Champion in 400 meters

;International Level
*1980—Won Gold medal in long jump, 4 x 400 m and 4 x 100 m relay in Pakistan National Games at [[Lahore]]
*1981—Represented India in World Spartakyad in [[Moscow]] in 1981
*1981—Won Bronze Medal in long jump and 4 x 400 m relay in Asian track and field meet in [[Tokyo]]
*1982—Won Silver Medal in long jump in the [[1982 Asian Games|9th Asian Games]] in [[New Delhi]]
*1982—Represented India in [[1982 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]]
*1983—Represented India in long jump in the First World Athletic Meet at [[Helsinki]]
*1983—Represented India in Asian track and field meet in [[Kuwait]]
*1986—Represented India in long jump in the [[1986 Asian Games|10th Asian Games]] at [[Seoul]]
*1987—Won Gold Medal in long jump in the [[1987 South Asian Games|SAF Games]] in [[Calcutta]]
*1988—Represented India in 400 m and 4 x 400 m relay in [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul Olympics]]
*1989—Won Gold Medal in 4 × 400 m relay in the Asian track and field at [[New Delhi]]

;Other distinctions
*Captain of the Indian Team at the First World Athletic Championship.
*First Woman from India to participate in World Athletic Championship.
*First Indian Woman to cross 6 meters in long jump in India.<ref name="jun09a" />
*National Record holder in long jump for seven years from 1980 – 87.
*National School record holder for 19 years.
*National University record holder for 27 years.
*1st Indian woman athlete to win medals at national and international level in both track and field events.
*First Couple (Murali Kuttan) from India to win Asian Games individual medals.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{iaaf name|id=64391}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuttan, Mercy}}
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Kerala]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes of India]]
[[Category:Indian female sprinters]]
[[Category:Indian female long jumpers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Asian Games medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for India]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Indian female middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for India]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1982 Asian Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for India]]
[[Category:Athletes from Kerala]]
[[Category:South Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:South Asian Games medalists in athletics]]

Mercy Kuttan - Revision history

>Scorpions13256: Copying from Category:20th-century Indian women to Category:20th-century Indian people non-diffusing subcategory using Cat-a-lot