Pooja Singh and the women’s 4x400m relay team miss out on the final-day podium, but Basant Meghwal and Shahnavaz Khan deliver landmark performances in Eugene
India ended its campaign at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with three medals — two silver and one bronze. While the final day brought disappointment for high-jump favourite Pooja Singh and the women’s 4x400m relay squad, the overall campaign produced some important breakthroughs for Indian athletics.
India’s medal-winning performances came from Ashish Yadav in javelin throw, Basant Meghwal in high jump and Shahnavaz Khan in long jump. More importantly, Basant and Shahnavaz created milestones that will give the country’s junior athletics programme plenty to celebrate.
Pooja Singh Falls Short of Expectations
Pooja Singh entered the women’s high jump final carrying significant expectations after a remarkable season.
The 19-year-old had earlier raised the Indian senior record to 1.93m at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong, where she also won gold. That performance made her one of India’s biggest medal hopes in Eugene.
However, the World U20 final did not produce another breakthrough.
Pooja cleared:
1.75m
1.80m
1.84m
She could not clear 1.87m, ending the competition in seventh position.
Pooja Singh: Key Numbers
Position: 7th
Best clearance: 1.84m
Indian senior record: 1.93m
Record-holder: Pooja Singh
Asian U20 result: Gold
The gap between her Eugene performance and her national record shows just how challenging championship competition can be. For Pooja, the result was disappointing, but her record-breaking season has already established her as one of India’s most promising young high jumpers.
Women’s 4x400m Relay Ends in Ninth
India’s women’s 4x400m relay team also endured a difficult finish.
After making it through to the final, the quartet could not reproduce the performance needed to challenge for the medals and eventually finished ninth.
The result was particularly disappointing because India had arrived in Eugene after a strong continental showing. The women’s 4x400m relay had won gold at the Asian U20 Championships earlier this year, raising hopes that the team could make an impact on the world stage.
Instead, the relay campaign ended without a medal.
Basant Meghwal Makes History
If Pooja’s result was one of disappointment, Basant Kumar Meghwal provided one of the biggest highlights of India’s campaign.
The Rajasthan high jumper cleared a personal best of 2.21m to win the silver medal in the men’s high jump.
The performance was historic: Basant became the first Indian athlete to win a World Athletics U20 Championships medal in the men’s high jump.
Basant Meghwal: Key Numbers
Medal: Silver
Best clearance: 2.21m
Achievement: First Indian men’s high jump medallist at World U20 Championships
Previous Asian U20 result: Gold
The 2.21m clearance also marked the best performance of Basant’s career, making his Eugene silver more than just another medal for India.
Shahnavaz Adds Another Historic Medal
India’s second field-event breakthrough came in the men’s long jump.
Shahnavaz Khan won bronze, taking India’s medal tally to three. His performance was another significant milestone for Indian junior athletics, with the long jumper emerging as one of the country’s notable young prospects.
Shahnavaz’s medal added another dimension to India’s campaign, which increasingly showed strength in field events.
Ashish Yadav Starts the Medal Charge
Before Basant and Shahnavaz took the spotlight, Ashish Yadav had already put India on the medal table with a silver in the men’s javelin throw.
His podium finish gave India an early boost and continued the country’s strong connection with javelin at junior level.
India’s Medal Tally
Silver — Ashish Yadav: Men’s javelin throw
Silver — Basant Meghwal: Men’s high jump, 2.21m
Bronze — Shahnavaz Khan: Men’s long jump
Total: 3 medals — 2 silver, 1 bronze
The Bigger Picture for Indian Athletics
India may not have collected a gold medal in Eugene, but the three-medal haul represents another encouraging step for the country’s junior programme.
The most notable aspect was the success in the field events. Basant’s historic high-jump medal and Shahnavaz’s long-jump bronze showed that India’s young athletes are increasingly capable of competing at the global level.
At the same time, Pooja Singh’s seventh-place finish and the women’s relay’s ninth-place result underline an important reality: success at the Asian level does not automatically translate into a World Championship podium.
Pooja’s 1.93m national record, Basant’s 2.21m personal best and the three-medal haul nevertheless point towards a promising generation.
For India, Eugene 2026 was therefore not simply a story of medals won or opportunities missed. It was a glimpse into the next generation — one that is beginning to produce historic results on the world stage.
India at World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Quick Recap
Venue: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Medal tally: 3
Gold: 0
Silver: 2
Bronze: 1
Pooja Singh: 7th in women’s high jump — 1.84m
Basant Meghwal: Silver in men’s high jump — 2.21m
Shahnavaz Khan: Bronze in men’s long jump
Ashish Yadav: Silver in men’s javelin throw
Women’s 4x400m relay: 9th
Final Take
The final day may have ended with disappointment for Pooja Singh and the women’s 4x400m team, but India leaves Eugene with three medals and two significant field-event milestones.
Basant Meghwal’s historic silver and Shahnavaz Khan’s bronze provide perhaps the clearest indication yet that India’s next generation of athletes is ready to challenge beyond the continental stage.
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