India's Pooja Singh has made headlines at the World Athletics U20 Championships by setting a new U20 national record in the women's high jump. The 17-year-old from Fatehbad, Haryana, achieved a remarkable height of 1.83 meters during the qualification round, finishing ninth overall. This performance not only secured her a spot in the final, scheduled for August 31, but also surpassed her previous national U20 record of 1.82 meters, which she set last year in Korea while winning silver at the Asian U20 Championships.
Pooja’s journey to this achievement is inspiring. Starting at Parta Sports Academy under coach Balwan Singh, she initially trained with limited equipment. Despite these challenges, she won gold in the U-14 girls' category with a jump of 1.41 meters. However, a quadricep injury kept her out of competition for 15 months.
Upon her return, Pooja quickly made her mark by winning gold in the U-16 girls' category at the 2022 junior nationals with a new national record of 1.76 meters. She continued to excel by securing another gold in the U-18 category at the 2022 youth national championships.
Pooja Singh’s latest record-breaking performance highlights her remarkable talent and determination. Her success at the World U20 Championships not only elevates her profile on the global stage but also sets a new benchmark for Indian athletics.
