{{short description|Indian hurdler}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Joseph Abraham | image = | imagesize = 145px | caption = After winning the 400m hurdles gold at Asian Games 2010 | fullname = Joseph Ganapathiplackal Abraham | nicknames = | nationality = Indian | sport = Running | event = 400 metre hurdles, 400 metres | club = Indian Railways | collegeteam = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|9|11}} | birth_place = Kottayam, Kerala, India | residence = | retired = yes | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | country = India | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} {{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Asian Games}} {{MedalGold|2010 Guangzhou|400 m hurdles}} {{MedalSilver |2006 Doha|4×400 m}} {{MedalCompetition|Asian Championships}} {{MedalSilver| 2009 Guangzhou | 400 m hurdles}} {{MedalBronze| 2007 Amman | 400 m hurdles}} {{MedalBronze|2007 Amman|4×400 m}} }}
'''Joseph Abraham''' (born 11 September 1981) is an Indian track and field athlete from Kerala. He holds the current 400 metre hurdles State record of 49.51 seconds set during the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka on 26 August 2007.<ref name="afio">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianathletics.org/isr.php |title=Official Website of Athletics Federation of India: NATIONAL RECORDS as on 21.3.2009 |publisher=Athletics Federation of INDIA |accessdate=2009-09-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805174209/http://indianathletics.org/isr.php |archivedate=2009-08-05 }}</ref><ref name="hindu_aug07">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/27/stories/2007082761102100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108120532/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/27/stories/2007082761102100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-01-08|title=Joseph Abraham, Vikas Gowda go out |date=2007-08-27|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=2009-09-18}}</ref> At Osaka, Abraham became the first Indian male athlete to clear the opening round of an event in the World Athletics Championships when he reached the 400m hurdles semifinals.<ref name="hindu_aug07b">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/26/stories/2007082660841800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109053706/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/26/stories/2007082660841800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-11-09|title=Hoffa dethrones Nelson in shot put|date=2007-08-26|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=2009-09-18}}</ref> He also won the 400m hurdles gold medal at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.<ref name="toi_nov10">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/16th-asian-games-2010/india-news/Asiad-Ashwini-Akkunji-wins-eighth-gold-for-India/articleshow/6988671.cms|title=Asiad: Joseph, Ashwini clinch 400m hurdles gold for India|date=25 November 2010|work=The Times of India|accessdate=25 November 2010}}</ref>
==Athletic career== Born in Kottayam district of Kerala, Abraham made a steady progress in intermediate hurdles. His first sub-52 came in 2003 and in the following year he clocked a time of 51.98 seconds. His best time in 2005 was 50.87 seconds.<ref name="sportstar_jul07">{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/tss/tss3028/stories/20070714501103200.htm|title=Two memorable performances|date=2007-07-14|publisher=Sportstar|accessdate=2009-09-18}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> His first national record came at the 2006 National inter-State athletics championship in Chennai. He broke the national record of 50.39 seconds held by Patlavath Shankar with a time of 50.22 seconds.<ref name="hindu_nov06">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/04/stories/2006110402411700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031001913/http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/04/stories/2006110402411700.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-10-31|title=Joseph sets National mark|date=2006-11-04|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=2009-09-18}}</ref> On 12 May 2007 at the 13th Federation Cup Athletics Championship in Kolkata, he broke his own 400m hurdles record 50.04 seconds to win the gold.<ref name="ie_may07">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/abraham-sets-national-mark/30810/0|title=Abraham sets national mark|date=2007-05-12|publisher=The Indian Express|accessdate=2009-09-18}}</ref> Joseph's first sub-50 performance came in the Guwahati Asian Grand Prix circuit athletics in June 2007. He won the silver by setting the new national record of 49.52 seconds while coming second behind Chinese Meng Yan.<ref name="sportstar_jul07" />
In June 2009, Abraham achieved the qualifying norm of 49.80 seconds for the Berlin World Championships, at the Indian Grand Prix meet in Chennai by clocking 49.59 seconds.<ref name="sportstar_jun09">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/tss/tss3225/stories/20090620504003100.htm|title=Mediocre, nothing more |date=2009-06-20|publisher=Sportstar|accessdate=2009-09-20}}</ref> Later in the same year, he won a silver medal in 400m hurdles (with a time of 49.96 seconds) at the 2009 Asian Championships in Athletics held at Guangzhou, China.<ref name="hindu_nov09">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/14/stories/2009111457131700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107113041/http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/14/stories/2009111457131700.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-07|title=Joseph Abraham takes silver in 400m hurdles|date=2009-11-14|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=2009-11-14}}</ref>
On 25 November 2010, Abraham became the first Indian to win individual gold medal at 400m hurdles at any Asian Games. He won the gold medal at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games clocking a time of 49.96 seconds.<ref name="toi_nov10" /> ;400m sprint Abraham also competes in the 400m sprint. His personal best for the 400 metres is 46.70 seconds set at the 2006 Open National Athletics Championships in New Delhi.<ref name="hindu_oct06">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/07/stories/2006100707822100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105101730/http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/07/stories/2006100707822100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-05|title=Pinki, Joseph win 400m titles |date=2006-10-07|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=2009-09-18}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{World Athletics}}
{{Asian Games Champions Athletics 400 m Hurdles Men}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Joseph}} Category:Malayali people Category:Sportspeople from Kottayam Category:Indian men hurdlers Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award Category:Living people Category:1981 births Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Asian Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Asian Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Asian Games Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India Category:Asian Games athletes for India Category:Asian Games silver medalists for India Category:Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games Category:Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games Category:Athletes from Kerala Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for India Category:Asian Athletics Championships medalists Category:Asian Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:Asian Games silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen