Ancy Sojan breaks Anju Bobby George's 21-year long jump record in Bhubaneswar
Synopsis
A 21-year-old record by legendary jumper Anju Bobby George fell in Bhubaneswar on Saturday evening — and it wasn't close. Ancy Sojan's 6.88m fifth-round leap at Kalinga Stadium didn't just break the mark; it obliterated it by five centimetres, coming from an athlete who spent last year recovering from illness. Two national records in one evening, with the Asian Games weeks away.
Key Takeaways
Ancy Sojan (Kerala) jumped 6.88m on 27 June to break Anju Bobby George's women's long jump national record of 6.83m set in Athens in 2004 .
The record fell in Ancy's fifth attempt ; her series read 6.73m, NM, 6.67m, 6.72m, 6.88m, 6.69m .
Sarvesh Anil Kushare (Maharashtra, age 31 ) set a new men's high jump national record of 2.31m , beating Tejaswin Shankar's 2018 mark of 2.29m .
Yoonus Shah (Uttar Pradesh) erased the men's 1500m meet record, clocking 3:37.55 seconds.
Multiple athletes cleared Asian Games qualification marks across events, ahead of the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games starting 19 September .
Ancy Sojan of Kerala shattered a 21-year-old national record in the women's long jump on 27 June at the 65th National Inter-State Athletics Championships, leaping 6.88m at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to surpass the 6.83m mark set by Anju Bobby George in Athens in 2004. The Asian Games medallist's fifth-round effort was the standout moment of Day 4 at the meet, which also saw Maharashtra's Sarvesh Anil Kushare set a new men's high jump national record.
Ancy's Record-Breaking Series
The 25-year-old started strongly, opening with 6.73m before recording a no-mark on her second attempt. She followed with 6.67m and 6.72m in her third and fourth jumps, before the decisive 6.88m in round five that lit up the electronic scoreboard. Her sixth and final jump was 6.69m.
'My goal today was to record a personal best of 6.75m, which I recorded four weeks ago in Ranchi,' Ancy said. The performance exceeded even her own pre-competition target by 13 centimetres. She dedicated the gold medal to her father. 'He wanted someone in the family to be a national record holder. The gold medal will be a precious gift to him,' she said.
Notably, Ancy had battled health issues the previous year and was forced to take a break from competition. 'It was mentally and physically challenging. I'm happy to have made a comeback, that too ahead of the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games starting September 19,' she said. The jump also cleared the Asian Games qualification mark of 6.48m by a significant margin.
Sarvesh Kushare Sets Men's High Jump Record
Sarvesh Anil Kushare, 31, became the second national record-breaker of the evening, clearing 2.31m in the men's high jump to better the 2.29m mark set by Tejaswin Shankar in 2018. The Maharashtra jumper achieved the record on his third attempt at that height. He then attempted 2.35m but was unsuccessful.
'I was feeling good. I got a big boost when I cleared 2.27m. Thereafter, I pushed and made an attempt to break the national record,' Kushare said. His winning mark of 2.31m also surpassed the Asian Games qualification standard of 2.19m.
Other Key Performances on Day 4
Yoonus Shah of Uttar Pradesh erased the men's 1500m meet record of 3:40.10 set by Bahadur Prasad in Chennai, clocking 3:37.55 seconds. Yashas P. of Karnataka improved the meet record in the men's 400m hurdles, winning in 49.14 seconds — inside the Asian Games qualification time of 49.41 seconds. In the women's 400m hurdles, Vithya Ramraj of Tamil Nadu posted an impressive 56.07 seconds, comfortably inside the Asian Games mark of 57.21 seconds.
In the men's shot put, Karanveer Singh of Punjab led with 20.49m, ahead of Samardeep Gill (Madhya Pradesh, 20.40m) and former national record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Punjab, 20.27m), all three clearing the Asian Games qualification mark of 19.41m.
Full Day 4 Results
Men's 100m: Animesh Kujur (Odisha) 10.28s, Pranav Gaurav (Maharashtra) 10.39s, Laukik Melge (Maharashtra) 10.43s. Men's 1500m: Yoonus Shah (UP) 3:37.55, Gulveer Singh (UP) 3:38.31, Rahul Baloda (Rajasthan) 3:40.07. Men's 400m hurdles: Yashas P. (Karnataka) 49.14s, Santhosh T. (Tamil Nadu) 49.14s, Aryan Prajwal (Karnataka) 50.95s. Women's 100m: Sudeshna Shivankar (Maharashtra) 11.59s, Sneha SS (Karnataka) 11.65s, Amasha De Silva (Sri Lanka) 11.70s. Women's 1500m: Parul Chaudhary (UP) 4:20.45, Ankita (Uttarakhand) 4:20.78, Pooja (Haryana) 4:21.48. Women's javelin: Annu Rani (UP) 56.74m, Karishma Sanil (Karnataka) 53.06m, Uma Chaudhary (Rajasthan) 53.06m.
With multiple athletes clearing Asian Games qualification standards across events, the 65th National Inter-State Championships is shaping up as a decisive selection showcase ahead of the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games in September 2025.
Point of View
One that survived two decades and the careers of multiple challengers. What makes it more significant is the context: a comeback from illness, a self-set target she exceeded by 13 centimetres, and the Asian Games less than three months away. The timing also raises a sharper question about Indian women's field events: if the talent was always there, what has held the record-line flat for 21 years? Saturday's double national record evening at Kalinga Stadium suggests the answer may be less about ability and more about the competitive environment finally catching up.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What national record did Ancy Sojan break at the 2025 Inter-State Athletics Championships?
Ancy Sojan broke the women's long jump national record with a leap of 6.88m at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 27 June. The previous record of 6.83m was set by Anju Bobby George in Athens in 2004 and had stood for over 21 years.
Who is Ancy Sojan and why is this record significant?
Ancy Sojan is a 25-year-old Kerala long jumper and Asian Games medallist who had to take a break from competition the previous year due to health issues. Her 6.88m jump is significant because it erases one of Indian athletics' longest-standing field event records and comes just weeks before the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games.
What national record did Sarvesh Kushare set?
Sarvesh Anil Kushare of Maharashtra cleared 2.31m in the men's high jump to set a new national record, improving on the 2.29m mark set by Tejaswin Shankar in 2018. The 31-year-old achieved the record on his third attempt at that height.
Which other records were broken on Day 4 at Bhubaneswar?
Yoonus Shah of Uttar Pradesh broke the men's 1500m meet record, clocking 3:37.55 seconds to better the previous mark of 3:40.10 set by Bahadur Prasad in Chennai. Yashas P. also improved the men's 400m hurdles meet record with a winning time of 49.14 seconds.
How does Ancy Sojan's record jump affect her Asian Games prospects?
Ancy's 6.88m is well above the Asian Games qualification mark of 6.48m, effectively securing her place in the squad for the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games beginning 19 September. She herself noted the timing of her comeback was aimed at peaking for the Games.
