India’s Pooja won silver at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026, clearing her season-best height of 1.87m. Although on paper this may look easy for her, she had become the Asian champion in May 2025 by clearing her lifetime best of 1.89m.
However, things changed after her Asian Athletics gold. During a routine training hurdle drill, she suffered a Grade-2 ligament tear. At a time when she was in the form of her life, she had to miss the World University Games 2025.
The challenges didn’t stop there. Due to personal reasons, her training was affected, and she shifted her training base from Parta, Haryana, where she trained under her childhood coach, Balwan Parta, to the Anju Bobby George Academy in Bengaluru.
After a long rehabilitation, she filed her entry for the Khelo India University Games, marking her comeback after six months. There, she cleared 1.77m, bettering the meet record. A month later, at the All-India University Games in January 2026, she won gold by clearing 1.85m, again improving her own meet record.
It is worth noting that both competitions were not certified by World Athletics, which means these records are not officially recognised.
AFI selected her for the Asian Indoor contingent, where she went as the reigning Asian outdoor champion and performed accordingly.
At the Asian Indoors, she began with 1.75m and then cleared 1.80m, both in her first attempts. She then struggled at 1.84m but cleared it in her third attempt. She followed it up by clearing 1.87m — her season best and second-best mark of her career — in her first attempt.
While attempting 1.90m, she came agonisingly close, nearly clearing it in her first and third attempts.
With the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games 2026 lined up, this season will be crucial for her. This Asian Indoor silver with a 1.87m clearance will definitely give her confidence for the upcoming championships.
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