Indian High Jumper Pooja Sets New National Record at Asian Under-20 Athletics Championship

May 30, 2026

Hong Kong, May 30: In an impressive display of athleticism, Indian high jumper Pooja has set a new national and meet record at the 22nd Asian Under-20 Athletics Championship. Competing in Hong Kong, Pooja soared to a height of 1.93 meters, clinching the gold medal. This remarkable jump surpassed the previous national record of 1.92 meters set by Sahana Kumari in 2012.

Pooja’s performance also exceeded the previous Asian Under-20 meet record of 1.90 meters, established by Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Radzhivil in 2006.

In the men’s 5,000-meter race walk, Nitin Gupta kicked off India’s medal tally by securing first place with a time of 19:47.49 seconds. However, he fell short of his own Asian Under-20 record of 18:47.37 seconds. Another Indian competitor, Tushar Pawar, finished sixth with a time of 20:55.41 seconds.

Discus thrower Amanat Kamboj added to India’s medal count, winning gold with a throw of 52.24 meters in the women’s discus event. Rahul Jakhad triumphed in the men’s decathlon, earning gold with a total of 7,185 points, while his compatriot Upkar secured silver with 6,854 points.

In the women’s triple jump, Sadhana Ravi achieved silver with a jump of 12.84 meters. Neeru Pathak contributed another silver to India’s tally, finishing third in the women’s 400 meters with a time of 53.93 seconds, marking her second-best performance. Tehura Khatoon also excelled, placing fourth with a personal best of 53.93 seconds.

In the men’s triple jump, Royshan P finished eighth with a distance of 14.87 meters. Mansi Avinash Yadav took fourth place in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking in at 10:45.34 seconds.

Earlier in the tournament, young Indian sprinter Nipam made a memorable start, winning bronze in the women’s 100 meters on the first day of the championship. The 18-year-old national record holder had a slow start but accelerated to finish in 11.62 seconds. Her personal best, which also stands as the national under-20 record, is 11.53 seconds, achieved during a domestic competition in April.

Nipam is also a member of the national 4×100 meter relay team and is confident about winning another medal in this four-day continental event. Qatar’s 16-year-old Dana Noor Salem had an excellent start, ultimately winning gold with a time of 11.47 seconds, while China’s 16-year-old Shinxuan Chen secured silver in 11.54 seconds.