Who is Shourya Ambure? She is the 17-year-old hurdler from Thane, Maharashtra, who won bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar. On 8 November she clocked a personal best of 13.59 seconds and missed silver by just 0.02 seconds.

She was also India’s only athletics entrant in Dakar. This page therefore tells her whole story so far: her medals, her personal bests, her last two seasons race by race, and the police family behind her.

Who is Shourya Ambure? The short answer

Shourya Ambure is an Indian hurdler who competes for Maharashtra, and her name is sometimes spelt Shaurya Ambure. She was born on 3 September 2009, according to World Athletics. She runs the 100m hurdles, and she also races the 100m and 60m.

In less than two years, she has won three individual medals abroad. She took Asian U18 bronze in Dammam and Asian Youth Games silver in Manama in 2025. Then, in 2026, she added Youth Olympic Games bronze in Dakar.

Youth Olympic Games 2026: 100m hurdles bronze by 0.02 seconds

The women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals and final both took place in Dakar on Sunday 8 November. In the earlier round, Shourya ran 13.77, which was already a lifetime best. A few hours later, she lined up for the medals.

China’s Zhang Keyi won gold in 13.17, a Games record and an Asian U18 record, as World Athletics reported. France’s Anna Peeters took silver in 13.57. Shourya, meanwhile, crossed the line in 13.59 for bronze, just 0.02 behind Peeters.

The medal also came after an unusual build-up. India had two athletics quota places, but race walker Vishnu was dropped over a passport issue. As a result, Shourya travelled as India’s only athletics entrant.

In addition, the whole Indian team in Dakar was small. Its 17 athletes made up India’s smallest squad at a Summer Youth Olympics since the Games began in 2010, AthleticsIndia reported.

Who is Shourya Ambure in Asia? Bronze in Dammam, silver in Manama

Her first international medal came at the Asian U18 Championships in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in April 2025. Aged just 15, she clocked a personal best of 13.80 for bronze, NNIS SPORTS reports . China took the top two places.

Six months later, she went one better at the Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain. She ran 14.00 in her heat and then a personal best of 13.73 in the final for silver. In addition, she won a second silver in the girls’ medley relay with Bhumika Nehate, Edwina Jason and Tannu.

Shourya Ambure’s 2025 and 2026 seasons, race by race

Her rise came fast. For example, she was still racing the 80m hurdles at U16 level in December 2024. Within 11 months, however, she had an Asian Youth Games silver over the 100m hurdles.

The Youth Nationals in Ludhiana showed both sides of hurdling. In the heats, she broke a 14-year-old meet record. However, she fell at the second-last hurdle in the final, and Karnataka’s Nupura Hola won the title in 13.78.

Even so, the selectors still picked her for Dakar. She reportedly met the standard at a special trial at SAI Bengaluru with a hand-timed 13.10. The full Ludhiana entry list is in our Youth Nationals 2026 bib list.

Shourya Ambure personal bests

Her hurdles best came in her latest race. The other marks below are from her World Athletics profile and race reports.

Her 13.59 is also quicker than the 13.70 that the AFI lists as the U18 national record, set by P.M. Thabitha in 2019. However, a time only becomes a record after ratification, and no ratification has been announced yet.

Meanwhile, the senior hurdles scene she is moving towards is strong. Jyothi Yarraji won the 2026 Inter-State title in 12.99. In addition, Federation Cup champion Nandhini Kongan reached the Asian Games final in Nagoya.

Who is Shourya Ambure’s coach? From Thane to Dakar

Shourya joined coach Ajit Kulkarni’s academy in Vasant Vihar, Thane, when she was nine. At first, she went there only for fitness training. Later, she began proper training for U14 competitions.

She then raced the 80m hurdles in the U14 and U16 categories. In December 2024, she won the U16 national title in 11.55. Her move to the 100m hurdles came in 2025, and her Khelo India Youth Games final that May was only her fourth race at the distance.

Even so, she raced with calm judgement. On her coach’s advice, she did not chase a Games record in Patna and simply won gold in 14.11, IANS reported. Afterwards, she said she still had “a lot of time in the U18 to break the national youth record.”

Who is Shourya Ambure beyond the track? Police parents and board exams

Shourya comes from a police family. Her parents, Rupali and Avinash Ambure, are IPS officers who hold senior ranks in the Maharashtra Police. In addition, her father played badminton at state level.

Her breakthrough also came in a busy school year. She was preparing for her Class 10 board exams when she won her first Asian medal in Dammam.

Training takes effort too. Thane had no synthetic track at the time, so her group travelled four days a week to Bandra, Ghatkopar and Balewadi in Pune. Meanwhile, her goal in 2025 was a medal at the Asian Youth Games, and she won two there that October.

Follow Shourya Ambure on Athletics India

Her races are covered on our women’s 100m hurdles page and in our women’s hurdles section. In addition, the latest meets are on Indian athletics results and Indian athletics news, and the senior hurdlers’ results from Nagoya are on our Asian Games 2026 hub.

Who is Dev Meena? He is the 21-year-old pole vaulter from Madhya Pradesh who holds India’s men’s pole vault record of 5.50m. Dev Meena set that record in the Asian Games final in Nagoya on 29 September 2026, where he finished seventh. Two months earlier, he placed fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Yet Dev started out as a sprinter in a village in Dewas district. This page therefore tells his whole story so far: his two big championship finals, his record progression, his 2026 season event by event, and his life away from the runway.

Who is Dev Meena? The short answer

Dev Meena is an Indian pole vaulter who represents Madhya Pradesh. He was born on 7 May 2005, according to World Athletics, and he competes as Dev Kumar Meena.

He has improved the Indian record again and again since 2025, often in a back-and-forth duel with his training partner Kuldeep Kumar. In 2026 alone, he cleared 5.42m, 5.45m, 5.46m and 5.50m as new national records.

Asian Games 2026: a 5.50m national record in Nagoya

Dev reached the 12-man final in Nagoya on Tuesday 29 September. He passed the opening height of 5.05m, cleared 5.20m and 5.35m, and then went over 5.50m for a new national record. However, he could not clear 5.60m in three attempts.

As a result, he finished seventh. The Philippines’ EJ Obiena won gold with a Games record of 5.91m, while Kuldeep Kumar placed tenth with 5.35m.

The jump also capped a long road to Nagoya. Dev booked his place by clearing 5.46m in June, just above the 5.45m standard, and he was then named in India’s 79-member athletics squad. Full results from the Games are on our Asian Games 2026 hub.

Commonwealth Games 2026: fourth in Glasgow

Glasgow was Dev’s first Commonwealth Games, and he went there as one of India’s two men’s pole vaulters. The final took place on Saturday 1 August.

Dev cleared 5.30m but then failed all three attempts at 5.40m. Meanwhile, three rivals cleared that height, so he finished fourth, just off the podium. Our CWG 2026 page has every Indian result from Glasgow.

Download PDF: CWG 2026 complete results

Dev Meena’s 2026 season, event by event

His season started slowly, with two clearances of 5.25m at home. However, the record then rose step by step: 5.42m and 5.45m in Ranchi in May, 5.46m in Bhubaneswar in June and 5.50m in Nagoya in September.

Who is Dev Meena at his best? Personal best and national records

His personal best is the 5.50m from Nagoya, which his World Athletics profile lists as a national record. The table below also shows each national record he has set along the way, from our race reports and news coverage.

His 5.32m in February 2025 broke the 5.31m record that S Siva had held since 2022. Since then, the men’s record has moved again and again, and our round-up of 26 national records in a historic 2026 season puts the pole vault duel at its centre.

Who is Dev Meena’s coach? From a Dewas village to Bhopal

Dev grew up in a village in Dewas district, where he first ran the 100m and 200m. Later, he trained as a 400m runner in Bhopal. There, coach Ghanshyam Yadav decided that Dev’s height and build suited the pole vault instead, and he has guided him ever since at the Madhya Pradesh Athletics Academy.

The switch paid off quickly. In 2023 he won National Games gold with 5.16m and became the first Indian pole vaulter to qualify for the World U20 Championships. In 2024 he then took bronze at the Asian U20 Championships in Dubai with 5.10m.

After that, 2025 became his breakthrough year. He set national records at the National Games and the Federation Cup, and then cleared 5.40m at the World University Games in Germany, where he finished fifth in the final.

Who is Dev Meena beyond the runway? Studies, family and mentors

Off the track, Dev is studying for a Bachelor of Arts at Khalsa College, Amritsar. His biggest sporting inspiration is in the family: his cousin Jay Meena is a soft tennis player who represented India at the Asian Games.

He has also found help in unexpected places. In Nagoya, his own coach was not there, so EJ Obiena’s coach advised him and helped him adjust his pole during the final. Dev told NNIS SPORTS that he still gives the credit to “Ghanshyam Sir”. In addition, the Madhya Pradesh government has brought in Cuban coach Ángel García to work with him.

Follow Dev Meena on Athletics India

His full stats and results are on Dev Meena’s athlete profile. In addition, the latest Indian marks are on our men’s pole vault page, and all jumps news is in our men’s jumps section.

The BIMSTEC U23 Athletics Championships 2026 will make their debut at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from November 25 to 27. Athletes from seven Bay of Bengal nations will compete across 32 medal events, with India fielding a 95-member squad that includes several record-breakers from this season’s national competitions.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the BIMSTEC U23 Athletics Championships 2026: what the event is, how India picked its team, the full squad, and the Indian athletes most likely to win medals in Bhubaneswar, with the marks that got them there. Every fact has been checked against AFI announcements, news reports and our own results coverage, and the fact-check table at the end shows the status of each claim.

What are the BIMSTEC U23 Athletics Championships?

BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a regional group formed in 1997. Its seven members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka from South Asia, and Myanmar and Thailand from Southeast Asia.

Sport has become part of that cooperation. India hosted the first BIMSTEC Aquatics Championships in New Delhi in February 2024, and the U23 Athletics Championships are the next step. AFI and the Ministry of External Affairs are organising the meet together, with the aim of building regional sporting ties and giving young athletes international competition close to home.

The Kalinga Stadium is a fitting host. It has become one of India’s main international athletics venues, staging a World Athletics Continental Tour meet in 2025 and a Silver-level Continental Tour meet in 2026, as well as this year’s National Inter-State Championships.

The event programme

There are 14 individual events each for men and women: the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, short hurdles (110m for men, 100m for women), 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus and javelin. There are also 4x100m and 4x400m relays for both men and women, for 32 medal events in all.

Note: the detailed day-by-day timetable had not been published when we wrote this. We will add it once AFI releases it.

How India picked its BIMSTEC U23 squad

AFI said in late October that it would pick the team on results from two national meets held back to back:

• 6th Indian U23 Athletics Championships, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, 16 to 18 October 2026. Four meet records were broken on the final day.
• 41st National Junior Athletics Championships, JN Stadium, Chennai, 23 to 27 October 2026. Our daily reports recorded 15 national records across the five days.

The result is a squad that mixes U23 champions from Jaipur with the brightest juniors from Chennai, some of them still only 17. AFI announced the 95-member squad in early November. Each individual event has two athletes and a reserve, and three more athletes join each relay pool.

India’s medal contenders at the BIMSTEC U23 Championships

These are the Indian athletes who arrive in Bhubaneswar in the best form, based on their results in Jaipur and Chennai over the past month.

1. Neil Samraj R (100m, 200m, 4x100m)

The headline name in India’s squad. The 17-year-old from Tamil Nadu broke two U18 national records at the Junior Nationals in Chennai: 10.45 in the 100m and 21.03 in the 200m. He is the only Indian entered in two individual events, and he is in the 4x100m relay pool too. Racing against athletes up to 22 years old will be his biggest test yet.

2. Abinaya Rajarajan (100m, 4x100m)

India’s fastest junior woman. Abinaya won the women’s U20 100m in Chennai in a national record of 11.49. Kajal Vaja of Gujarat, runner-up to her in Chennai, joins her in the 100m.

3. Bhavana G (200m)

Bhavana G of Tamil Nadu won the women’s U20 200m in Chennai in a meet record of 23.82. That is faster than the 23.97 that won the U23 200m in Jaipur, where Sonika of Haryana beat Samriti Jamwal by one hundredth of a second. Sonika is Bhavana’s teammate in the 200m.

4. Tanu Chaudhary (400m)

Tanu Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh broke Jisna Mathew’s 2015 meet record with 53.40 in the women’s U18 400m in Chennai. She is only 17, but that time would make her a strong contender in any regional U23 400m.

5. Karna Bag and Aryan Prajwal Kashyapa (400m hurdles)

One of the closest races in Jaipur. Karna Bag of West Bengal won the men’s U23 400m hurdles in a meet record of 50.27, just 0.01 ahead of Aryan Prajwal (50.28). Both go to Bhubaneswar, and a repeat of that duel could give India a one-two.

6. Dharanidharan T and Shashank Patil (javelin)

India’s javelin pair arrive with almost identical form. Dharanidharan T of Tamil Nadu won the men’s U20 javelin in Chennai with 76.18m. Shashank Patil of Karnataka won the U23 javelin in Jaipur with 76.16m. Javelin is India’s strongest event, and both will start as favourites.

7. Ambriesh K (high jump)

Ambriesh K of Tamil Nadu cleared 2.18m to win the men’s U20 high jump in Chennai, the highest jump of the championships. That is eight centimetres higher than the 2.10m that won the U23 title in Jaipur. His Chennai runner-up, Binoy B of Kerala (2.11m), is also in the team.

8. Daksh Bishnoi and Sadhana Ravi (triple jump)

Both triple jump champions from Chennai are in the team. Daksh Bishnoi of Punjab won the men’s U20 title with 15.74m, ahead of the 15.64m that won in Jaipur. Sadhana Ravi of Tamil Nadu won the women’s U20 title with 13.22m, almost a metre clear of the field.

9. Anshu and Riya Verma (shot put)

Anshu of Haryana broke the women’s U20 shot put meet record in Chennai with 15.58m, and her Haryana teammate Riya Verma took silver with 14.56m. The same pair now represent India.

10. The relay squads

The relay pools add more stars. Lodenge Ramu, who broke the U18 400m national record (46.80) in Chennai, joins the 4x400m pool. Savin Thingalaya, the U20 200m champion in Chennai (21.26), joins the 4x100m pool with Neil Samraj. In the women’s 4x100m pool, Mrithika, the U18 100m champion, joins Abinaya.

The rival to watch: could Puripol Boonson come to Bhubaneswar?

The biggest name in the region is Thailand’s Puripol Boonson, born on 13 January 2006, which makes him young enough for a U23 event. At the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, he won the 100m in a Games record of 9.90 and the 200m in 19.88, equalling the Asian record.

If Thailand sends him, the men’s sprints in Bhubaneswar would become a must-watch, with Neil Samraj chasing one of the fastest men in the world. Note: Thailand’s squad had not been announced when we wrote this, so it is not confirmed that Puripol will compete.

India’s men’s squad for the BIMSTEC U23 Championships

India’s women’s squad for the BIMSTEC U23 Championships

Events not on the BIMSTEC programme

The programme leaves out the hammer throw, pole vault, 3000m steeplechase, 10,000m, race walks and combined events. So some of the stars of the Jaipur U23 meet will not be in Bhubaneswar, including the two hammer meet record holders, Nirbhay Choudhary (66.32m) and Haqikat Grewal (55.46m), and heptathlon champion Bidisha Kundu (5,260 points).

Fact check: how we verified this guide

For decades, university sports in India have served as the bedrock of national talent identification. Globally, the collegiate system acts as the premier incubator for world-class athletes. For example, it has produced NCAA track icons in the United States and supported elite university programmes across Europe and East Asia. In India, however, the grassroots pipeline has long struggled with administrative inefficiency. As a result, collegiate athletes have often found themselves caught between bureaucratic power struggles and missed international opportunities.

Now, the high-stakes battle for control of Indian university sports has reached a boiling point. Recently, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports moved to strip the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) of its long-standing mandate. Instead, it handed control to the newly formed Indian Unisports Federation (IUSF).

However, this transition has encountered a major legal roadblock. The Delhi High Court has stayed the Ministry’s recognition of the IUSF. Consequently, the matter is now set for a critical hearing on January 13, 2027.

1. Why Did the Sports Ministry Move Against AIU?

The breaking point for the Ministry came after a series of high-profile administrative failures. In particular, the immediate trigger was India’s troubled organisational experience at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. This was followed by nationwide criticism over low athlete participation at the 2025 Khelo India University Games.

Following these lapses, AIU Joint Secretary (Sports) Dr. Baljit Singh Sekhon was suspended. Moreover, the Ministry had reportedly been dissatisfied with AIU’s functioning since as early as July 2025. Therefore, it decided to phase out the existing nodal arrangement in favour of a dedicated National Sports Federation (NSF).

On October 5, 2026, the Sports Ministry granted provisional NSF recognition to the IUSF, which had staked its claim in July 2026. To accelerate the transition, the Ministry reportedly relaxed several standard eligibility criteria through an official letter to the IUSF Secretary General. These included:

• The mandatory three-year existence requirement.
• Having affiliated units across at least 50% of Indian districts.
• Pre-existing affiliation or recognition with an international sports body.

The New Leadership Structure

Following the Ministry’s recognition, the IUSF moved ahead with its leadership appointments. On October 11, 2026, Prof. Achyuta Samanta was unanimously elected President of the newly formed federation.

2. The Legal Stalemate: AIU Takes the Government to Court

However, the transition soon faced a legal challenge when AIU filed a petition before the Delhi High Court. In its petition, AIU argued that it had served as a recognised National Sports Promotion Organisation for university sports since May 5, 2008. Furthermore, it claimed that the government was withdrawing its status without providing prior notice.

At the centre of this dispute is international representation. Under the International University Sports Federation (FISU) statutes, only one representative organisation per country can hold active membership. Currently, FISU recognises AIU as India’s official member association. Notably, AIU has held this status since 1967.

Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry has given the IUSF six months to secure FISU affiliation. However, achieving this while AIU retains its historic membership could prove difficult. Furthermore, the Delhi High Court has stayed IUSF’s recognition until January 13, 2027. As a result, the governance structure of Indian university sports remains locked in legal uncertainty.

3. Ground Reality: What This Means for Athletes

While the legal battle continues, coaches and athletes face immediate concerns about competition schedules, selection trials, and the All India University Championships calendar.

Nevertheless, NNIS Sports spoke to several national coaches, who confirmed that ground-level preparations remain on schedule for now. According to them, the current arrangements include:

• Selection Process: Ongoing Inter-University competitions will continue to serve as the baseline selection route.
• National Championship: Meanwhile, the All India University Championships are set to proceed in the final week of December 2026 at KIIT University.
• Athletics Schedule: In particular, track-and-field events are confirmed for December 26–31, 2026, on the KIIT Synthetic Track.

Therefore, coaches expect the existing competition framework to remain in place through the winter. However, the situation beyond this period remains uncertain.

4. The Looming Crisis: FISU World University Games 2027

Ultimately, the biggest test of this administrative rift will come at the FISU World University Games (Summer). The competition is scheduled to take place from August 1–12, 2027, in Chungcheong, South Korea.

Meanwhile, selection trials for the 2027 Games are scheduled for April 2027. This leaves the Sports Ministry with a tight deadline to resolve the governance dispute and settle the question of international recognition.

Collegiate sports play a crucial role in connecting youth development with senior international podiums. Therefore, resolving this administrative impasse is essential. As the countdown to Chungcheong 2027 begins, Indian sports authorities must ensure that university athletes do not lose their pathway to international competition.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has shortlisted five coaches for India’s next chief coach position. The selection follows the retirement of current chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair after 10 years in the role.

In July, the AFI published its Chief Coach Recruitment Notice on its official website. The notice outlined several essential qualifications for the position.

These include:

• Recognised coaching certification: Candidates must hold a World Athletics Level 3 CECS (new curriculum), Level 4 CECS (previous curriculum), or an equivalent qualification.
• Coaching experience: Applicants must have at least 15 years of coaching experience. This must include five years at the elite international level.
• Athlete development: Candidates must have a proven record of producing athletes who excel at major international championships.
• Leadership skills: Excellent leadership, communication, planning, and team-management skills are also essential.

According to sources, the national federation has shortlisted five coaches. The candidates are Parveer Singh, Rajmohan MK, Ajith Markose, Mohammed Kunhi, and Robert Bobby George.

Here is NNIS Sports’ profile of the five contenders and their achievements.

1. Parveer Singh

Dronacharya Awardee Parveer Singh is best known for coaching India’s elite throwers. His athletes include Seema Punia, Krishna Punia, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, and Annu Rani, among others.

Parveer works at NIS Patiala, one of India’s major training hubs for elite throwers. The centre has also trained Olympic and World champion Neeraj Chopra.

Furthermore, Parveer has led several national training camps at NIS Patiala. His experience with elite throwers has made him a frontrunner for the chief coach position.

2. Rajmohan MK

Rajmohan MK is an Indian Air Force coach from Kerala. He is widely known for his work in India’s 400m programme.

Currently, he manages the Indian 400m camp at the NCOE in Thiruvananthapuram. He also served as an assistant coach under Jason Dawson.

Rajmohan worked with the Indian men’s 4x400m relay team during its historic performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Moreover, several elite athletes have trained under him.

These athletes include Amoj Jacob and Rajesh Ramesh.

3. Robert Bobby George

Robert Bobby George is widely regarded as one of India’s most experienced and knowledgeable athletics coaches.

He famously coached Anju Bobby George to India’s first-ever World Athletics Championships medal. She won bronze in the long jump with a distance of 6.70m in 2003.

Currently, Robert runs the Anju Bobby George Academy in Bengaluru. The training centre has produced several promising athletes.

One of its notable athletes is Shaili Singh, the current U20 long jump national record holder.

4. Mohammed Kunhi

Mohammed Kunhi is a former long-serving national 400m coach. Throughout his career, he has worked with several prominent Indian athletes.

His athletes include Arokia Rajiv and former 400m national record holder Mohammed Anas.

Additionally, Kunhi has international coaching experience. He previously worked as Thailand’s national 400m coach.

5. Ajith Markose

Ajith Markose is the brother of Anju Bobby George. He currently works as a middle- and long-distance running coach at the Reliance Foundation.

Among the five contenders, Ajith is one of the youngest candidates in the race for the chief coach position.

Despite his relatively young age, he has worked with several elite distance runners. These include current 800m national record holder Mohammed Afsal and marathon national record holder Sawan Barwal, among others.

NNIS Sports first broke the news about Radhakrishnan Nair’s decision to step down as Chief Coach after the Asian Games. His departure will end a 10-year tenure at the helm of India’s national athletics team.

Following the official advertisement and application process, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has shortlisted five candidates for the top job.

All five candidates completed their interviews at the AFI headquarters in Delhi on November 1. Meanwhile, the federation expects to announce its final selection by November 5.

The incoming chief coach faces a demanding schedule. First, the coach must shape India’s campaign for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The coach will also prepare the team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Furthermore, India will host two major international track-and-field events in 2028. These include the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and the World Athletics Indoor Championships.

Here are the five coaches shortlisted by the federation:

• Parveer Singh: The NIS Patiala coach reportedly leads the race for the post. He has extensive experience training India’s elite throwers. His athletes include Asian Games gold medalist Tajinderpal Singh Toor and javelin thrower Annu Rani.
• Robert Bobby George: He famously coached Anju Bobby George to India’s first World Athletics Championships medal in 2003. Moreover, his coaching record brings proven high-performance credentials to the selection process.
• Rajmohan MK: He currently serves as the Deputy Chief Coach of the national athletics setup.
• Mohammed Kunhi: He previously served as India’s national 400m coach for several years. Additionally, he worked internationally as the head coach of the Thailand national team.
• Ajith Markose: He specialises in middle and long-distance events. He currently works with Reliance Foundation.

The AFI’s November 5 decision will shape Indian athletics’ technical leadership for the remainder of the Olympic cycle.

For the latest updates, visit athleticsindia.com and follow NNIS Sports.

Who is Pooja Singh? She is the 19-year-old high jumper from Haryana who holds India’s women’s national record of 1.93m. In Nagoya she won bronze with 1.84m, and Pooja Singh became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games high jump medal since Bobby Aloysius in 2002.

Yet in June 2025, a Grade-2 ligament tear ended her season. This page therefore tells her whole story so far: her medals, her personal bests, her 2026 season jump by jump, and the village coach who spotted her at a yoga camp.

Who is Pooja Singh? The short answer

Pooja Singh is an Indian high jumper who represents Haryana. She was born on 21 February 2007, according to World Athletics, where she is listed simply as Pooja.

Her 2026 season was a comeback year. She returned from injury, won Asian Indoor silver and broke a 14-year-old national record. Then, after tough outings in Glasgow and Eugene, she finished the year with Asian Games bronze.

Asian Games 2026: high jump bronze without a single miss

The women’s high jump final took place in Nagoya on Tuesday 29 September. Pooja cleared 1.70m, 1.75m, 1.80m and 1.84m, each on her first attempt. However, she then failed three times at 1.87m.

Her clean card through 1.84m proved decisive, and she took bronze on countback. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Barnokhon Sayfullaeva won gold with a personal best of 1.90m, and Kazakhstan’s Kristina Ovchinnikova took silver with 1.87m.

The medal also ended a long wait. Before Pooja, the last Indian woman with an Asian Games high jump medal was Bobby Aloysius, who won silver in 2002. In addition, it came a day after Sarvesh Kushare won men’s high jump silver. Every Indian result from Nagoya is on our Asian Games 2026 hub.

Asian U20 gold and the 1.93m national record

Her biggest jump came on 29 May at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong. First, she cleared 1.91m to improve her own U20 record. Then, on the very next height, she cleared 1.93m for the senior national record.

The old mark of 1.92m belonged to Sahana Kumari and had stood since 2012. Remarkably, Sahana was in Hong Kong as part of India’s coaching staff, and she celebrated the record with Pooja. Pooja was five years old when Sahana set it.

However, she nearly missed the meet. Days earlier, she was among 23 Indian athletes turned back at the airport over visas. As a result, her gold also cleared the 1.92m Commonwealth Games mark. India’s full haul is on our Asian U20 medal tally page.

Pooja Singh’s 2026 season, jump by jump

Her rise came in steps. For example, her best went from 1.89m in 2025 to 1.90m in April and 1.93m in May. However, the middle of the season was harder, with eighth place in Glasgow and seventh at the World U20 Championships.

In Glasgow, heavy rain left water pooling around the high jump apron and delayed the final. Pooja cleared 1.77m on her second attempt but then failed three times at 1.82m,NNIS SPORTS reported. Meanwhile, in Eugene she cleared 1.84m but missed at 1.87m.

Pooja Singh personal bests

Both of her current bests came in 2026. The marks below are from her World Athletics profile and our race reports.

Her 1.93m makes her the only Indian woman to clear that height. In addition, her 1.87m in Tianjin broke Bobby Aloysius’s 22-year-old national indoor record of 1.84m. India’s other leading jumpers are on our women’s high jump page.

Who is Pooja Singh’s coach? From Bosti to Nagoya

Pooja grew up in Bosti village in Fatehabad district. Her first coach, Balwan Singh Parta, spotted her jumping ability at a government yoga camp in 2018. Before that, she had tried kabaddi, kho-kho, gymnastics and yoga.

However, there were no proper facilities. She practised with a bamboo pole and landed on sacks filled with rice husk, and she travelled about 12km a day to train. Her first meet ended at 90cm, but she soon won an U14 title with 1.41m.

After a quadriceps injury kept her out for 15 months, she climbed fast. She won Asian U18 gold in 2023, took Asian U20 silver the same year and finished sixth at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Then, in May 2025, she won Asian Championships gold in Gumi with 1.89m, becoming only the second Indian woman after Bobby Aloysius to do so.

Who is Pooja Singh beyond the track? Family, study and comebacks

Her father, Hansraj, works as a mason. Meanwhile, Pooja studies for a Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports at Lovely Professional University, and she is part of the government’s TOPS scheme.

Her career has also been a story of comebacks. A Grade-2 ligament tear in June 2025 ruled her out of the World University Games. Even at her best, money was tight: after her Asian title she told NNIS Sports, “I had no choice. I had to use torn spikes that were somehow kind of bandaged together.”

Top coaches have noticed her return. Matt Horsnell, who coaches world champion Nicola Olyslagers, praised how well she had bounced back from injury before Glasgow. In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated her after the Nagoya bronze.

Follow Pooja Singh on Athletics India

Her full stats and results are on Pooja Singh’s athlete profile. In addition, every Indian result from Glasgow is on our CWG 2026 page.