Ancy Sojan produced a landmark achievement in Indian athletics by breaking the long-standing women’s long jump national record previously held by Anju Bobby George. Competing at the National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships on June 27, Ancy recorded a leap of 6.88 metres, surpassing the previous national record of 6.83 metres that Anju had set during the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The historic jump came on Ancy’s fifth attempt and ended a record that had stood for more than two decades. The achievement is regarded as one of the most significant moments in Indian track and field in recent years, given the stature of Anju Bobby George and the longevity of her record.
Ancy’s performance also holds importance beyond the national level. Her 6.88-metre jump ranks among the best performances ever recorded by an Asian athlete and places her among the continent’s elite long jumpers. It also makes her only the second Asian woman in the past twenty years to cross the 6.85-metre mark, underlining the quality of the achievement in an international context.
The previous record holder, Anju Bobby George, remains one of India’s most celebrated athletes. She became the first Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships when she secured bronze in Paris in 2003 and inspired generations of Indian athletes through her accomplishments. Despite numerous challengers over the years, her national record remained untouched until Ancy’s breakthrough performance.
Born on March 1, 2001, in Thrissur, Kerala, Ancy Sojan has rapidly emerged as one of India’s leading field-event athletes. She represents the Indian Navy, where she serves as a Chief Petty Officer, and has steadily built a reputation as one of the country’s most reliable performers in the women’s long jump.
Her rise to prominence gained momentum at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she won a silver medal with a jump of 6.63 metres. She followed that success with another silver medal at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships and later secured a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, establishing herself as a regular podium contender at the continental level.
Earlier this season, Ancy had already signalled her growing potential by setting a personal best of 6.75 metres at the National Federation Cup. Her latest effort of 6.88 metres not only improved upon that mark significantly but also rewrote the national record books.
With the World Athletics Championships approaching, Ancy has strengthened her position as one of India’s most promising medal contenders. Her consistent performances on the Asian circuit, combined with her record-breaking jump, suggest that Indian women’s long jump may be entering a new phase, with Ancy carrying forward and expanding upon the legacy established by Anju Bobby George.
