Ancy Sojan Breaks Anju Bobby George’s 22-Year-Old Record; Sarvesh Kushare Creates High Jump History

Indian athletics witnessed a historic day at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, as two long-standing national records were rewritten. Ancy Sojan shattered Anju Bobby George’s 22-year-old women’s long jump national record, while Sarvesh Kushare became the first Indian high jumper to clear the 2.30-metre barrier.

Ancy Sojan produced a sensational leap of 6.88 metres in the women’s long jump, surpassing Anju Bobby George’s previous national record of 6.83 metres, which had stood since the 2004 Athens Olympics. The remarkable performance also secured her qualification for the upcoming Asian Games and made her one of Asia’s top performers this season.

Following her historic achievement, Anju Bobby George congratulated the Kerala athlete, saying that records are meant to be broken and expressing pride in seeing the next generation of Indian athletes raise the standard.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra’s Sarvesh Kushare also etched his name into the record books by clearing 2.31 metres in the men’s high jump. In doing so, he broke Tejaswin Shankar’s previous national record of 2.29 metres set in 2018 and became the first Indian ever to officially clear 2.30 metres.

Kushare’s outstanding jump also comfortably surpassed the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification standard for the Asian Games. His performance places him among Asia’s leading high jumpers and further strengthens India’s medal prospects at upcoming international competitions.

The twin record-breaking performances marked one of the most memorable days in recent Indian athletics, highlighting the country’s growing strength in field events. With the Asian Games approaching, both Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare have emerged as strong medal contenders and symbols of India’s rising athletics standards.