Pooja Singh Breaks High Jump Record, Wins Asian U20 Gold

Nineteen-year-old high jumper Pooja Singh broke the 14-year-old Indian senior national record to win gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong on Friday. Competing at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Singh cleared 1.93 meters on her first attempt, surpassing the previous mark of 1.92 meters set by Sahana Kumari in 2012.

The achievement was witnessed by Kumari herself, who is part of the Indian coaching contingent at the event. Singh’s jump also set a new championship record and secured her qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. China’s Meiqi Chen took silver with a jump of 1.80 meters, while athletes from Chinese Taipei and Sri Lanka shared the bronze at 1.72 meters.

Overcome with emotion upon landing, Singh dropped to the track in tears. The victory marks the peak of a steady comeback season for the athlete, who recovered from a grade two ligament tear earlier in the year. Her performance in Hong Kong builds on a silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championships and a previous personal best of 1.90 meters set in New Delhi in April. Last year, Singh won the women’s high jump gold at the senior Asian Athletics Championships.