Indian athletics has a new star soaring to remarkable heights. At just 19 years old, high jumper Pooja Singh delivered one of the biggest moments in Indian track and field history when she won gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong. Her spectacular jump not only earned her a championship title but also rewrote national record books and set a new benchmark for young athletes across the continent. Pooja Singh’s achievement is a reminder that determination, hard work, and belief can help young athletes reach extraordinary heights. Her historic performance has placed her among India’s most exciting sporting talents and strengthened the country’s growing reputation in athletics.
Pooja Singh & her record-breaking leap: The jump that made history
Competing in the women’s high jump event at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, Pooja Singh cleared 1.93 metres to win the gold medal. The jump was successful on her very first attempt, showing remarkable confidence under pressure. Her winning height was enough to finish ahead of the rest of the field and secure a historic victory for India. The result was significant for more than just the gold medal. Pooja Singh became the first Indian athlete ever to win the women’s high jump title at the Asian U20 Championships.
Pooja’s leap of 1.93 metres broke India’s long-standing women’s high jump national record of 1.92 metres, which had been held by Sahana Kumari since 2012. The record had stood for 14 years before Pooja surpassed it in Hong Kong. What made the achievement even more impressive was that she cleared the record height on her first try. Breaking a national record is rare. Doing it while winning an international gold medal makes the accomplishment even more special.
Shattering the Championship record
Pooja Singh’s jump did not just break the Indian record. It also surpassed the Asian U20 Championships record of 1.90 metres, which had been set by Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Radzivil in 2006. Her performance therefore created both a new Indian national record and a new championship record on the same day. Few athletes manage to break two major records in a single competition, making the achievement one of the standout moments of the championships.
From Haryana to the international stage
Pooja hails from Bosti village in Haryana’s Fatehabad district, where her father Hansraj works as a construction worker. Her journey to the top has been built through years of training and steady improvement. Before this breakthrough, she had already won medals at youth and junior-level international competitions and claimed gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2025. With each competition, she has continued to improve her personal best, eventually reaching the historic 1.93-metre mark that placed her name in the record books.
Also read about: Gurindervir Singh: From Punjab To Becoming India’s Fastest Man
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