Ancy Sojan, Tajinderpal Singh Toor Lead Field Events at Indian Athletics Series Final

Ancy Sojan continued her impressive season with another victory in the women’s long jump at the Indian Athletics Series Final, producing a 6.76m effort in New Delhi as she fine-tuned her preparations for the Asian Games 2026.

The performance was the second-best winning mark of Sojan’s career, behind only the 6.88m Indian national record she established earlier this season. With the Asian Games now approaching, the latest result offers another indication that the Kerala-born jumper is carrying strong form into the continental competition.

Sojan has already experienced the Asian Games podium, winning silver at the previous edition. This time, she will arrive in the Indian contingent with a clear ambition: to improve on that result and challenge for gold.

Her 6.76m effort also places her among the leading performers in Indian women’s long jump history. Sojan’s national record of 6.88m sits above Anju Bobby George’s former national record of 6.83m, while Shaili Singh’s 6.76m remains the Indian U-20 record.

Sojan building towards another Asian Games campaign

The importance of Thursday’s competition extended beyond the medal. For Sojan, the Indian Athletics Series Final provided a valuable opportunity to compete at home against strong domestic opposition before the Asian Games. A 6.76m jump is particularly encouraging given that it is just 12 centimetres short of her national record. More importantly, it demonstrates the consistency that has become a feature of her season.

The challenge now will be to reproduce that level when she steps onto the Asian Games stage. Having already won silver, Sojan will have the experience of competing for a major continental medal, while her improved personal benchmark gives her additional belief.

Another Asian Games-bound field athlete, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, also finished on top in New Delhi. The reigning Asian-level star produced a 20.64m throw to win the men’s shot put title. Samardeep finished second with 19.59m, while Karanveer Singh took bronze with 19.51m.

Toor’s victory keeps him moving in the right direction ahead of the Asian Games, where he will once again be among India’s major medal hopes in the field events. Karanveer will also represent India at the Asian Games, giving the country two strong options in the men’s shot put. The domestic competition between the pair can only add intensity to India’s preparations for the continental event.

For Toor, Thursday’s 20.64m was another opportunity to test his competition rhythm and finish the domestic season with a victory.

Mohd. Sazid Atta breaks the 8m barrier

The men’s long jump produced one of the most significant breakthroughs of the evening as Haryana’s Mohd. Sazid Atta crossed the eight-metre mark for the first time in his career. Atta registered a lifetime best of 8.01m, becoming the only athlete in the field to breach eight metres.

Crossing the 8m barrier represents a major milestone in the career of any long jumper. For Atta, the mark came at precisely the right time, providing a significant personal breakthrough on one of the biggest domestic stages of the season.

The 8.01m effort also suggests that Atta could become an increasingly important name in Indian men’s long jump, particularly if he can build consistency around the new personal best.

India’s national record holder Dev Meena secured the men’s pole vault title after clearing 5.40m. Meena then took aim at 5.50m and came close, missing the height on his second attempt. Although he could not add another 10 centimetres to his clearance, the victory ensured that he ended the competition at the top of the standings.

As the national record holder, Meena remains one of India’s leading athletes in the event, and competitions such as the Indian Athletics Series Final provide important opportunities to test his form under pressure.

The four results highlighted the depth and variety within India’s field-event programme. Sojan continued her progression towards the Asian Games, Toor maintained his winning momentum, Atta broke new ground by crossing eight metres and Meena secured another domestic victory in pole vault. For Sojan, however, the spotlight remains firmly on what comes next.

Her 6.76m performance was not merely another victory. It was her second-best winning distance ever and came just weeks after she rewrote the Indian record with 6.88m.

With a silver medal already in her Asian Games collection, the target for 2026 is clear. Sojan now heads towards the continental stage knowing she has the form, experience and confidence to challenge for a bigger prize.