Soaring Beyond Limits: Pooja Singh’s Golden Leap from Husk Sacks to Asian Glory

Image Source: India Today

Eighteen-year-old Pooja Singh has scripted a historic chapter in Indian athletics, clinching gold in the women’s high jump at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. Her journey from makeshift training grounds in rural Haryana to the top of the Asian podium is a powerful story of grit, resilience, and inspiration for a new generation of athletes.

Pooja Singh, a daily-wage mason's daughter from Bosti village in Haryana, conquered insurmountable odds—practicing on rice husk sacks, with no basic equipment, and even competing in torn, patched shoes—to win gold in the high jump at the Asian Athletics Championships, making history as the first Indian woman to do so in 25 years. Her jump of 1.89m not only broke her own national U20 record but also lit the hope of grassroots sports in all of India.

Historic Victory at Asian Athletics Championships

Pooja took gold in women's high jump with a personal best of 1.89m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
She was the first Indian female since 2000 to claim gold in this event, breaking India's 25-year wait for gold in this event.
Her gold-winning jump improved upon her existing U20 national record of 1.85m, and she narrowly failed to break the senior national record of 1.92m.

Humble Origin and Tough Training

Pooja was born to a humble family in Haryana with her father being a mason and her mother a homemaker.
She practiced on bamboo poles and rice husk sack and hay with no decent mats or shoes to train on in the early days.
Balwan Singh Patra, her coach, saw her talent while she was participating in a yoga camp and encouraged her to attempt high jump despite limited resources.
Pooja's early training involved learning the Fosbury Flop technique in months—a technique that normally requires years.

Conquering Adversity

Pooja jumped in the Asian Championships final with a torn left spike, taped over with Kinesiology tape, after her regular spikes tore apart during practice.
She decided to jump in the ripped spikes instead of changing to a less supportive backup pair, showing her concentration and mental strength.
Her path was marked by a 15-month injury layoff, following which she established a national U16 record and kept climbing.

Inspiration and Influence

Pooja's win is celebrated as a breakthrough for Indian athletics, showcasing a wave of interest in high jump back to her village and also elsewhere.
Her triumph has resulted in better infrastructure at her coach's academy, including a new landing mat gifted by former discus thrower Seema Antil.
Government officials and athletes such as Tejaswin Shankar have described her performance as one of the best by an Indian at the meet.

Future Aspirations

Pooja is now planning to qualify for the upcoming Olympics and bring home a medal for India.
Her success has raised the calls for more assistance for the sportspersons who come from less privileged backgrounds, highlighting the potential in rural India that remains untapped.

Sources: The Indian Express, The Logical Indian, Hindustan Times, India Today, Onmanorama, India Sports Hub