History Made! Ancy Sojan Breaks Anju Bobby George's 22-Year-Old Long Jump National Record

Published 27 June 2026 · india

History Made! Ancy Sojan Breaks Anju Bobby George's 22-Year-Old Long Jump Record Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 21:19 IST Ancy Sojan breaks Anju

History Made! Ancy Sojan Breaks Anju Bobby George's 22-Year-Old Long Jump Record Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 21:19 IST Ancy Sojan breaks Anju Bobby George's long jump national record at Inter-State Championships with a 6.88m leap, surpassing the 6.83m mark set at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Ancy Sojan broke Anju Bobby George's 22-year-old recordAncy Sojan broke Anju Bobby George's 22-year-old national record (X/AFI) Reliance Foundation athlete Ancy Sojan etched her name into Indian athletics history by breaking the women’s long jump national record during the fourth day of the Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Representing Kerala, the 25-year-old produced a sensational leap of 6.88m to surpass the previous national mark of 6.83m, which had stood for 22 years.

The record was set by Indian athletics legend Anju Bobby George during the 2004 Athens Olympics and had remained unbeaten ever since. Asian Games Secured With Gold The outstanding performance also secured Ancy the gold medal and confirmed her qualification for the upcoming Asian Games. Having claimed a medal at the previous edition of the continental event, she will now head into the competition in excellent form. Competing as a Reliance Foundation athlete, Ancy has enjoyed an impressive resurgence after overcoming an injury setback last year. Supported by the Reliance Foundation’s medical and rehabilitation team, she has steadily rebuilt her fitness and confidence, producing consistent performances throughout the 2026 season. Earlier this year, she finished on the podium at the Asian Athletics Championships before setting successive personal bests in her last two competitions.

Her latest record-breaking effort in Bhubaneswar marked another significant milestone in a remarkable comeback campaign. The 6.88m jump has propelled Ancy to the top of the Asian rankings for 2026, underlining her status as one of the continent’s leading long jumpers. It is also the seventh-best performance in the world this season, placing her among the global elite in the event. Additionally, her record leap now ranks eighth on the all-time Asian long jump list, highlighting the quality of her achievement on the international stage. (With inputs from Agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Ritayan Basu Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com.