New Delhi: At the India Open Athletics Series held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, 19-year-old high jumper Pooja Singh produced the performance of her career, clearing 1.90 m to register a new personal best and come within touching distance of India’s long-standing women’s high jump national record.
High jump personal best puts national record in sight
Pooja’s 1.90 m clearance is the highest by an Indian woman in over a decade, falling just short of the 1.92 m national record set by Sahaja Kumari in 2012. The mark signals a major leap in Indian high jump standards and confirms Pooja’s rapid progression on the domestic circuit.
“I knew I was capable of 1.90 m today. Missing the record is fine, but the personal best gives me confidence,” Pooja said after the event.
She has now extended her dominance in national competitions and shown consistent improvement in major meets this season.
New coach, refined technique, renewed confidence
A key factor behind this surge has been her recent shift to training under Uzbek coach Sergey Biran following recovery from a Grade-2 ligament injury. Under his guidance, Pooja has worked extensively on approach, take-off rhythm, and consistency at crucial heights.
“Coach has helped me focus on one height at a time and stay calm during attempts. The technical corrections are showing in my jumps,” she noted.
Eyes on Junior World Championships and Asian Games
Still eligible for the Junior World Championships, Pooja is now aiming far beyond participation. In her previous appearance at the U20 Worlds, she finished ninth with a best of 1.80 m. With her current form, that 10 cm improvement would have placed her among the medal contenders.
She has also comfortably achieved the qualification standard for the Asian Games and believes breaking the national record is well within reach in the coming months.
“My focus is on the Asian Games and Junior Worlds. I believe the national record will happen soon,” she added.
Performance Snapshot
Event: India Open Athletics Series, New Delhi
Athlete: Pooja Singh
Result: 1.90 m (Personal Best)
National Record Target: 1.92 m
Previous U20 Worlds Best: 1.80 m (9th place)
Current Goals: Junior World Championships medal, Asian Games performance
From injury recovery to a career-best jump, Pooja’s rise marks one of the most promising stories in Indian athletics this season and positions her as a genuine international medal prospect in women’s high jump.
Discussion about this post