4 min readNew DelhiApr 12, 2026 07:00 AM IST
Pooja’s three attempts at the 14-year national record for women’s high jump may have failed but the Haryana teenager achieved the goal she had manifested, the 1.90m mark, and a new personal best, on Saturday at the India Open Athletics Series at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
This is the first time any Indian high jumper has touched the 1.90m mark after Sahaha Kumari’s national record of 1.92m in 2012.
19-year-old Pooja, who is unbeaten at the national level in her past six competitions, moved past her previous personal best of 1.89m which she achieved during her title-winning performance at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025.
“I know I missed the national record but a new personal best is good for me. Main soch ke aayi thi ki aaj toh 1.90m karna hai. (I had manifested that I would achieve 1.90m today),” said Pooja after her performance.
While Pooja cleared the qualification mark of 1.80m set for the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games mark of 1.92m still remains just out of reach.
“My eyes are firmly set on the Asian Games but I have to break the national record for CWG. That was my target today but I couldn’t get it,” said Pooja. “After a point, getting a new personal best is not easy. We have to go step-by-step. I have improved my personal best after eight months this time. I believe the national record is within my reach and hopefully I will get it soon,” she added.
The relief of improving upon her personal best was visible when Pooja hugged her mother immediately after she cleared the mark. “Whenever my mother is there for me in a tournament, I do well. I have done so many competitions and whenever she is around cheering me, things get better for me,” said Pooja.
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After her personal best at the Asian Athletics Championships, Pooja was forced off the track due to a Grade-2 ligament tear. However, after returning from injury, Pooja started training under new coach, Sergey Biran from Uzbekistan. Sergey is the husband of Svetlana Radzivil, a three-time Asian Games champion and brings with him immense knowledge of the sport.
“Coach Sergey has a lot of knowledge as he has been around for so long. I have learnt a lot under him and as you can see the result is there. He was telling me constantly to focus on one height. It has been a good experience with him,” said Pooja.
Focus on Asiads, Junior Worlds
While Pooja has been winning the senior competitions at the national level for the past two years, she is still eligible to compete at the Junior World Championships and wants to win a medal there.
Pooja had finished ninth at the U20 World Championships back in 2024 with a best jump of 1.80m. However, the jumper from Haryana is confident of finishing on the podium this time. “My standard was different when I went there last time. It was a good learning experience for me. I performed well but I couldn’t finish on the podium. This time, I am going for a medal and not just to participate,” she said.
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She is correct about the fact that her standard was different in 2024. With a personal best of 1.82m at that time, she was far from the world standard but now she is close to being among the elite at the junior level. To put it into context, her 1.90m jump from today would have won her the silver medal at the U20 World Championships in 2024.
“I know that I am improving and I think that is the most exciting part for me. I have been trying to break the national record for a long time but for now, I think the gradual progression is something that satisfies me,” concluded Pooja.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
