Until Ancy Sojan.
At the 65th National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships in 2026, the Reliance Foundation Sports athlete produced the jump of her life, 6.88m, to rewrite the record books and usher in a new chapter for women's long jump.
The historic leap was celebrated across the country, but it was built on years of perseverance, setbacks and unwavering belief.
Injuries became one of the toughest battles of her career. For a prolonged period, recurring physical issues repeatedly interrupted her momentum, forcing difficult conversations even within her own family. "Earlier, I used to get injured a lot because I had some physical weaknesses. There was a time when my parents felt maybe I should stop competing because injuries kept happening," Ancy said.
The darkest phase arrived during the Asian Games, when she suffered a serious knee injury that left her unable to walk properly for weeks. "That was one of the toughest moments for me. I could not even walk because of the pain. I had to rest for one month. I remember sitting in a corner and crying because mentally it was very difficult," she remembered.
Yet that difficult phase became a turning point.
After joining Reliance Foundation Sports, Ancy found herself in a completely different high-performance environment, one that transformed not only her preparation but also her confidence as an athlete.
"The biggest difference for me has been recovery. Earlier, I was training hard, but recovery resources were very weak. After coming here, recovery has been much better, and training has improved a lot," an always-smiling Ancy said, reflecting on what changed after joining RF Sports.
Working closely with Reliance Foundation Head Coach James Hillier and coach Anoop Joseph, Ancy's training took on a new dimension. The focus extended beyond technical improvements to building physical resilience, refining recovery, and using sports science to address the weaknesses that had previously led to recurring injuries.
"Here, they identify exactly where my weaknesses are. If there is any physical problem, the support staff immediately works on it. That has helped me improve a lot."
Speaking about the overall environment, Ancy has often expressed gratitude for the ecosystem around her at Reliance Foundation Sports. "Training here (at the National Athletics Centre) feels like being in an international setup. Every facility an athlete needs is available here."
With access to world-class coaching, sports science, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition and recovery, she was finally able to train consistently without the recurring interruptions that had previously held her back.
The results soon followed.
At the 2026 National Inter-State Championships, Ancy produced the performance of her life, soaring 6.88m to break a national record that had stood untouched for more than two decades.
Today, Ancy Sojan is not just India's new national record holder. She is proof that years of sacrifice, resilience through setbacks, and the right support system can turn ambition into history. Her record-breaking leap ended a 22-year wait for Indian athletics. But it also marked the beginning of what could be an even greater chapter in her career.