Pooja Singh breaks 14-year national record, wins historic Asian U20 High Jump gold

India enjoyed a historic day at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships as Pooja Singh, Rahul Jakhar and Amanat Kamboj delivered gold medals in their respective events.

The standout performance came from 19-year-old Pooja Singh, who won India’s first-ever women’s high jump gold medal at the championships. Pooja cleared 1.93m to not only secure the title but also set a new senior national record.

Her effort eclipsed the previous national record of 1.92m set by Sahana Kumari in 2012, ending a 14-year wait for a new benchmark in the event. The mark also surpassed the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 1.92m, although it remains to be seen whether the Athletics Federation of India will grant her an exemption as the Federation Cup had been designated as the final qualifying event.

Rahul Jakhar and Amanat Kamboj add to India’s medal haul

India also celebrated a one-two finish in the decathlon as Rahul Jakhar clinched gold with 7,185 points while Upkar secured silver with 6,854 points.

Rahul’s winning total established a new Indian U20 national record, underlining his emergence as one of the country’s most promising combined-event athletes.

The gold rush continued in the women’s discus throw, where Amanat Kamboj became the first Indian athlete to win the event at the Asian U20 Championships. Her victory added another historic milestone to India’s campaign.

The latest medals come just a day after sprinter Nipam ended India’s 25-year wait for a women’s 100m medal at the championships with a bronze-medal finish.

With multiple national records and several historic gold medals already secured, India is enjoying one of its most successful editions of the Asian U20 Athletics Championships.