From the village in Haryana lined with sack bags to the highest step of the stage at Asian athletic championships, 18 -year -old Pooja jumped around barriers in style. 30. May in South Korea in Gumi in South Korea scripted history become the first Indian woman since 2000 to win gold In a high jump at a continental meeting. And she did it with a torn shoe with a stunned plaster.
Pooja was born in 2007 in the village of Bosti in Haryana and is the daughter of Hansraje, a Mason who earns a modest daily wage. Her early training equipment was at least humble – no impact mats, no stadium – just bamboo sticks and landing surface paved together with bags filled with stubble. But what was missing in the infrastructure was equal to in complete determination.
“I started in 2017 and until 2019 I did yoga and gymnastics,” Pooja recalled after her first gold medal at the senior competition. “I took part in several events, but in 2019 I chose a high jump. I got here after many hard work and fighting.”
During the yoga, her coach Balwan Singh saw her floor. She wrote her explosive power and dexterity, introducing it to a high jump to the Para Sports Academy. Despite the absence and basic equipment of the Pooja, he managed the Fosbury Flop technique in months – a performance that usually lasts for years.
With steadfast dedication, she hit gold in the category under 14 years and jumped 1.41 m. Even a 15 -month injury could not keep her; She jumped back and set the National U-16 record with a jump of 1.76 m on junior nationals 2022.
On Friday in Gumi went higher than ever – literally and figuratively.
Whaaaaaaaat! Pooja cleans 1.89 m in the final with a high jump of women – and currently leads the competition!
He breaks his previous personal best best of 1.85 m (also U20 National Record) and is now ready to try 1.92 m – higher national record height!
A goal and pic.twitter.com/kslxrwhbh– Nnis Sports (@nnis_sports) May 30, 2025
Pooja, who failed about her initial attempts of 1.83 mA 1.86 m, knew she had to secure gold over 1.86 m. At the first attempt of 1.89 m – cleaned the bar and set the new personal best. Efforts were enough to defeat the Uzbekistan Safina Sadullaeva (silver, 1.86 m) and Kazakhstan’s Yelizaveta (bronze).
“The competition was very good, my body worked very well. I almost cleaned a record of 1.92 m, but I missed a small edge, but 1.89 m is my personal best and I could record it,” said enthusiastic Pooja, after her golden jump there was a broken weapon.
Pooja sets the monuments to the Olympic Medal
And she did it all with a patch tip.
It was her first main medal at a higher level to win gold at the Asian U-18 championships in Tashkent. Her performance was gained by high praise when the Indian decimal silver medalist Tejaswin Shankar called the “greatest performance from the Indian perspective” in AAC 2025.
As the youngest member of the Indian contingent, Pooja sucks in experience and at the same time monitors a greater goal.
“I am the youngest in the team and I enjoy it. I am having fun here and I also focus on my game. My goal is to qualify for the next Olympics and win a gold medal,” she said.
For someone who once jumped on Huska bags, Pooja Singh is now seeking Olympic heights and taking all India for ride.
Published:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
May 30, 2025
