Bringing an end to a 14 year wait for Indian athletics, Pooja Singh, a Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports (BPES) second year student from Lovely Professional University (LPU), scaled new heights of 1.93 meters to win the gold medal at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026 held in Hong Kong. Her incredible performance smashed the longstanding Indian High Jump record, thus becoming the new record holder of India in the event.
Pooja surpassed the national U20 record that had remained unbeaten for over 14 years. Her groundbreaking jump helped her improve her earlier feats, which include winning gold with a 1.89-metre jump at the Asian Championships in South Korea last year, showing her progress among the best upcoming athletes in Asia.
With her record breaking leap of 1.93 metres and Asian U20 gold, she has now secured qualification for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she will represent India on yet another major international stage. At just 19 years of age, Pooja has already established herself among India's finest athletes.
She was the youngest Indian athlete to compete at the Asian Games 2022, where she finished an impressive sixth against some of Asia's best. Pooja's dominance in Indian high jump is unparalleled. She now holds nearly every major women's high jump record in Indian athletics, including the Under-17, Junior, Under-20 and Senior National records.
Her achievements also extend to the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India University Games, and All India Inter University Games, where she has consistently set new benchmarks. Born in a small village in Haryana's Fatehabad district, Pooja's journey to the top of the Asian podium is nothing short of inspirational.
Raised in humble circumstances, with her father working as a daily wage earner, she dared to dream big when few believed it was possible. Through years of perseverance, sacrifice, and relentless dedication, she transformed those dreams into reality.
Reflecting on her journey, Pooja credited LPU's training ecosystem, professional coaching, and competitive exposure for helping her steadily improve her performance. She said the support she received enabled her to compete confidently at the highest level and pursue bigger goals in international athletics.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor of LPU, stated, “Records are meant to be broken, but some records carry a larger significance. Pooja's achievement is one such moment. To witness a young Indian athlete setting a new benchmark for the country and showing what hard work, discipline, perseverance, and belief can achieve is truly heartening.
LPU will continue to nurture and support talented young minds and athletes, enabling them to compete with confidence on the world's biggest stages. We celebrate not just a medal or a record, but the spirit of excellence that inspires future generations to push beyond perceived limits."
Pooja's achievement adds another milestone to LPU's growing sporting legacy, which includes Olympians, international medallists’, and national champions across disciplines. Through its Edu-Revolution framework, LPU continues to provide athletes with academic flexibility, world class training infrastructure, scholarships, and performance based support, enabling them to pursue sporting excellence alongside their education. Admissions for the 2026-27 academic session are currently open for students aspiring to be part of this thriving ecosystem of excellence.