Asian Games 2026: Ancy Sojan Wins Women’s Long Jump Silver

Ancy Sojan Edappilly led for most of the women’s long jump final but was denied gold by China’s Yingying Huang with the final jump of the competition.

India’s Ancy Sojan Edappilly secured the silver medal in the women’s long jump at the Asian Games 2026 on Sunday after a 6.53m effort in her fifth attempt.

The 25-year-old from Thrissur was in contention for gold for much of the competition and appeared on course to claim the top spot before China’s Yingying Huang produced a decisive effort on her final attempt.

Sojan’s silver adds another major international medal to her growing collection and continues a strong year for the Kerala long jumper.

Ancy Sojan held the lead until the final attempt

Sojan produced her best jump of 6.53m in the fifth round, putting herself in a strong position heading into the final attempts.

However, Huang responded when it mattered most, surpassing the Indian on her sixth and final jump to take the gold medal.

The result means Sojan has added another Asian Games medal to the silver she won at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she jumped 6.63m.

From national record to Asian Games silver

Sojan arrived in the 2026 Asian Games season having rewritten one of Indian athletics’ longest-standing records.

In June, she produced a 6.88m leap at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, surpassing Anju Bobby George’s 6.83m national record that had stood since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The performance also secured the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification mark for the Asian Games and underlined her progression into one of India’s leading long jumpers.

Born in Thrissur, Kerala, Sojan has represented both Kerala and the Services and serves as a Chief Petty Officer in the Indian Navy.

Her breakthrough on the Asian stage came at the 2023 Asian Games, where she claimed silver with a 6.63m effort. Three years later, she has once again finished on the podium, this time after being involved in a closely fought contest for gold until the final jump.

Who is Ancy Sojan Edappilly?

Born on March 1, 2001, in Thrissur, Kerala, Ancy Sojan Edappilly has emerged as one of India’s leading long jumpers. She represents the Services and also serves as a Chief Petty Officer in the Indian Navy.

Sojan announced herself on the international stage with a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where her 6.63m effort established her as one of India’s leading medal contenders in the event.

Her silver in the 2026 edition is therefore another significant milestone in a rapid rise that has seen her move from a promising domestic athlete to an established force in Asian long jump.