Haryana’s Pooja delivered the performance of her career at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, winning the women’s heptathlon title with 5,619 points and surpassing the Asian Games qualification standard of 5,605 points.
The all-rounder produced a remarkable display of consistency across all seven disciplines, registering five personal bests during the competition. Her outstanding performances culminated in a memorable victory at India’s premier domestic athletics championship, securing both the national title and a place at the upcoming Asian Games.
Pooja began her campaign strongly with 14.48s in the 100m hurdles, earning 912 points, before clearing 1.73m in the high jump to add 891 points. She then produced a personal best of 11.61m in the shot put, collecting 635 points.
Her momentum continued with another lifetime best of 26.15s in the 200m, which earned 784 points. In the long jump, she recorded a personal best of 5.78m for 783 points, followed by another breakthrough performance in the javelin throw, where she achieved 44.88m, adding 761 points to her tally.
Heading into the final event, the 800m, Pooja required a strong performance to reach the Asian Games qualification standard. Rising to the occasion, she produced yet another personal best, clocking 2:17.85s to take her overall score to 5,619 points, comfortably surpassing the required benchmark.
Her ability to deliver five personal bests in seven events highlights the exceptional quality of her performance and reflects the progress she has made as a combined-events athlete. Saving one of her finest competitions for the biggest domestic meet of the season demonstrated both her consistency and competitive temperament.
With the Interstate title secured and Asian Games qualification achieved, Pooja has firmly established herself among India’s leading heptathletes. Her outstanding all-round display stands as one of the most impressive performances of the championships and provides a significant boost for Indian combined events ahead of the continental competition.