Ancy Sojan is always planning her next move. Even when she's standing at the end of the runway, Ancy rehearses her steps before actually doing it.
It is the same after the competition is done because if you ask her about the Olympic qualification mark, she would tell you about her plan to win an Olympic medal. If you remind her of the Anju Bobby George national record that she famously broke this year, Ancy would tell you she is training to break the 7-metre barrier.
"That is how I function, and I'm a bit stubborn," says Ancy Sojan, the fidgety long jumper who claimed a silver medal for India at the Asian Games in Japan.
The Kerala long jumper was unlucky to miss out on a historic gold, with China's Huang Yingying edging her with her last jump. Ancy, who was a silver medallist three years ago in Hangzhou, settled for another silver, with an effort of 6.53m. Had she held on to her lead and struck gold, it would have been a first in the Asiad since 2002 when legendary athlete Anju soared to the top of the podium.
Ancy was disappointed, but she says she has moved on from it already and is content with the silver. "It (the gold) was not meant for me. Maybe something else is waiting. I think it is a signal from God that there is something better out there."
Ancy has a monster mentality and it is one she developed over the years. Ancy's career has witnessed a steady progression. She's improved her performances each year, going up from 6.55 in 2022 to 6.63 in 2023 and 6.71 in 2024. That last mark was the third-best jump by an Indian woman after Anju's 6.83 and Shaili Singh's 6.76. Shaili, three years younger to Ancy, has provided healthy competition in recent years. The UP athlete was unlucky to miss out on a medal in Japan, finishing fourth.
This June, Ancy exceeded the expectations of many by scaling Anju’s 22-year-old national record of 6.83 m. "When I started, I never thought I could do things to make my country proud. It has only been a few years since I convinced myself that I can do bigger things, like crossing the national record."
Sky is the limit
The highlight of her career has been breaking legendary jumper Anju's record with an impressive jump of 6.88 m at the National Inter-State Athletics Championship in Bhubaneswar in June.
Ancy knows she hit a peak with that performance, but she has hit the reset button. "I want to go for 7 metres. Then I want to hit 7 metres consistently," Ancy says.
That is ambitious because 7 metres is Olympic medal territory. Only the most elite athletes have hit that mark, the likes of USA's reigning Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, Italy's Larissa Iapichino, the US duo of Alyssa Jones and Alexis Brown, and seasoned German Malaika Mihambo, to name a few.
"There are many more performing consistently in the 7-metre region, and that is what I am aiming for. If I have to win an Olympic medal, I must cross 7 metres, and I believe I can achieve it," Ancy says.
The sacrifices she's made
Like all of the non-vegetarian Malayalis, Ancy loves porotta and beef. She gets excited even talking about it, even chicken biriyani and chips. “I loved eating biriyani, porotta and beef. But I have said no to all of it," Ancy says. "It is a sacrifice I have made because I want to manage my weight properly."
Ancy says she has PCOD, because of which she struggles to maintain a steady weight. "I must control my weight to stay competitive. I am very focused on my fitness now. It is very important to stay disciplined to keep improving."
She wants to qualify for the World Championships next year and then the Olympics a year later. The qualifying mark for both events is 6.83m. You don’t want to bet against Ancy.
