4 min readBhubaneshwarJun 28, 2026 07:00 AM IST
Ancy Sojan hung in the air for a fraction longer than any Indian woman had in 22 years. When her feet hit the sand, she got up and looked anxiously at the board for her mark.
When the board read 6.88m, Ancy dropped on the track in joy. One of the longest-standing national records, held by Anju Bobby George, was overhauled in spectacular fashion at the inter-state athletics championships.
Ancy, the 25-year-old from Nattika in Thrissur, not only broke the national record of 6.83m, which had stood since the 2004 Athens Olympics, but also proved that all the sacrifices she had made over the years were well worth it.
“This national record is a statement that India has jumpers who have range and are rising,” Ancy said after her record-breaking moment.
While Ancy glowed in glory at the Kalinga Stadium, her father Sojan was at a loss for words back home in Thrissur.
“I don’t know what to say. It is a dream come true and a big moment for the family. Usually, I come and watch her compete but I couldn’t this time due to an injury,” an emotional Sojan told The Indian Express from Kerala. “We are a passionate family who love sports. I used to compete as an athlete but had to leave it due to financial constraints.”
Sojan had to give up on his sporting dreams and start driving an auto-rickshaw to make ends meet for his family. However, his passion never faded and he wanted the best for his daughter.
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“She started with 100m and 200m but eventually settled for long jump. I really like watching her compete in the stadium,” he said.
That’s something that Ancy wants to ensure – and not just in domestic competitions.
“My father drove an auto rickshaw his whole life so that I can reach here. I owe everything to my parents. They gave me all the support and trusted me. Never expected that I would do anything in return. He (Sojan) loves watching me in competitions. He hasn’t watched me in international competitions yet, and I want to take my parents there,” said Ancy.
Ancy Sohan in action. (AFI photo)
Inspiration from a movie
Ancy has been the most consistent Indian long jumper in the past two years. She started the 2026 season strongly at the Asian Indoor Championships with a bronze medal and registered a personal best of 6.75m last month at the Federation Cup.
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But despite consistently jumping over 6.50m, she wasn’t getting close to the national record.
On saturday, Ancy started with a jump of 6.73m and then followed it up with 6.67m and 6.72m.
“The first jump was a good one and my body felt really good. I went to my coach after the fourth jump and he said, ‘your body is fine, just give everything’,” Ancy said.
When her coach Anoop Joseph said that she can get the national record, Ancy remembered a scene from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, the biopic of one India’s greatest athletes.
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“I just remembered the scene where he is wearing the India blazer, and other athletes come and beat him. Then his coach comes and tells him that if he wants to wear the India blazer, he will have to beat those guys. That scene inspires me a lot. I was thinking about that before the record-breaking jump,” she said.
Making of an athlete
It is a cliche that it takes a village to raise a champion but cliches exist for a reason.
Ancy, who started her athletics career from Government Fisheries School in Nattika and continued at St. Thomas College, Thrissur, received support in many forms.
“She started from her school. First, she used to do sprints like 100m and 200m but then we met coach Kannan who asked her to switch to long jump,” said Sojan.
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She used to get injured a lot but everybody used to help her in the community. “All the school teachers, physios and coaches around our neighbourhood used to chip in,” he recalled.
