Pooja in action at the Asian U20 Championships (© Peh Siong Sen (Asian Athletics))
India’s young high jump sensation Pooja once again asserted that she is the best in the business by clinching gold during the four-day Asian U20 Championships, which concluded at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground in Hong Kong on Sunday (31).
On Friday (29), the 19-year-old surpassed Svetlana Radzivil’s 20-year-old championship record on her second attempt by clearing 1.91m. She then soared over 1.93m without knocking the bar to set an Indian senior record. She also made a gallant attempt to get the Asian U20 record of 1.96m but was unsuccessful.
Pooja, the surprise Asian champion in Gumi last year, was raised in a humble farming family in India’s Haryana State. Her first international title came in the Asian U18 Championships in Tashkent three years ago. In 2023, she also won silver at the Asian U20 Championships in Yecheon and bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Port of Spain. She skipped the last edition of the Asian U20 event in Dubai two years ago.
Before heading to Hong Kong, Pooja cleared 1.90m in New Delhi in April.
“When I looked at 1.93m, I remembered the times I trained back at home without mats and falling on the ground. Hence, clearing it brought me immense joy and relief,” said Pooja, who added that she will target the Asian U20 record again during this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Korea’s Park Si-hoon won shot put gold with a record to boot. With a final hurrah in the U20 category, he surpassed Li Meng’s 15-year-old Asian U20 record of 20.63m in the 6kg shot with a heave of 20.65m to complete his collection of medals with gold in Hong Kong.
In a fitting gesture to his father, who taught Park lifting exercises in the gym in Gumi, Park developed in the throwing arena as a promising shot putter. Like Pooja, Park won the Asian U18 title in Tashkent. He had a gradual upward lift on the podium, starting with a bronze in Yecheon in 2023 and a silver in Dubai in 2024 at the Asian U20 Championships.
The 19-year-old, who has already competed with the senior implement, intends to take part in the inaugural Asian U23 Championships in Ordos in July and has ambitions of throwing 21 metres one day.
United Arab Emirates sprinters shine with records
Suleiman Abdulrahman of United Arab Emirates surprised the Qatari duo of Khala Mahamat and Youssouf Djibrine as he ran 44.85 to win the 400m. His time eclipsed the championship record of 45.53 set by China’s Ailixier Wumaier at the last edition two years ago. Mahamat also beat the previous record to get silver in 45.19.
A day later, Abdulrahman was part of the quartet that won the mixed 4x400m in a record time of 3:18.81.
With similar passion, Aminat Kamarudeen of United Arab Emirates also took two gold medals in the 400m and the mixed relay. She clocked a PB of 52.72 to win the individual event.
Abdul Quddus Ahmed Ali clinched men’s 200m gold in 20.85 (-1.6m/s), while Mariam Kareem excelled in the women’s 400m hurdles in 56.93.
Qatar’s Mubarik Abdi Said halted the Japanese monopoly in the 3000m with a record-breaking effort of 7:56.08 to win the gold. The defending champion Mashiko Yota finished third. Said went on to claim his second gold by winning the 1500m in 3:44.40.
Championship records were set in three of the four hurdling events. China’s 16-year-old Zhang Keyi triumphed in the 100m hurdles in 13.38 (0.4m/s). Japan’s Jeremy Koga clocked 13.05 (-0.5m/s) in the 110m hurdles, while his compatriot Taiju Goto won the 400m hurdles, shaving 0.05 from Ismail Douda Abakar’s 2023 mark of 49.30.
A total of 10 championship records, including one Asian U20 record, were bettered during the four-day competition. The final evening witnessed records in the 4x400m, with China (3:04.88) and India (3:38.07) taking gold in the men's and women's races, respectively.
China topped the medal tally for the 18th time in 21 editions with 14 gold, nine silver and two bronze medals. India (10-5-4) placed second and Japan (5-5-8) third.
Saudi Arabia’s Taif will host the next edition of the championships in 2028.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for World Athletics