Asian Games 2026: Pooja Wins Women’s High Jump Bronze, Ends India’s 24-Year Medal Wait

Pooja won bronze in the women’s high jump final at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday, giving India its first Asiad medal in the event in 24 years.

The national record-holder cleared 1.84m to finish third. The medal is India’s first in women’s high jump at the Asian Games since Bobby Aloysius won silver in 2002.

Pooja stayed in the medal race early. She cleared 1.84m, which briefly put her ahead of the field in the final. That effort eventually secured bronze after she could not go higher.

Uzbekistan’s Sayfullaeva clinched gold with a personal best of 1.90m. Kazakhstan’s Kristina Ovchinnikova took silver with 1.87m.

The podium turned at 1.87m. Pooja failed in all three attempts at that height and settled for third place. Her 1.84m remained her best mark in the final.

Pooja entered the Games as the national record-holder.

Earlier this year, the 19-year-old broke Sahana Kumari’s 14-year-long national record at the Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships. She set the mark with a jump of 1.93m.

That made Tuesday’s medal stand out further.

It ended India’s long wait for an Asiad medal in women’s high jump. Before Pooja’s bronze, the last Indian medal in the event came through Bobby Aloysius’ silver in 2002.