Haryana's Poonam wins U20 javelin gold with 51.48m at Nehru Stadium

Haryana teenager Poonam won the women's under-20 javelin title at the 41st National junior athletics championships with a throw of 51.48m at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Monday, October 26, 2026. She recovered from two early fouls to secure the gold.

Sunday had been dark and rainy, and Monday brought slightly brighter skies, but Poonam’s competition nearly ended after two successive fouls in the early rounds at the Nehru Stadium. Her coach, Hanuman Singh, reacted angrily from the stands, charging down to give instructions as she walked back after her second attempt. A third foul would have ended her campaign, increasing the pressure on the 19-year-old.

“My first thought was to get into the top eight. I had already committed a couple of fouls,” she told The Hindu. Hanuman’s direction to her was straightforward and practical: “He told me to release it a little more towards the inside and use my shoulder,” said Poonam.

On her third attempt Poonam adjusted as advised, turning back a little more confidently while her coach appeared to settle down, and she gradually found her rhythm. The 19-year-old then produced the series-winning mark, claiming gold with a throw of 51.48m.

Poonam has shown resilience before: in December 2024, just days after her father passed away, she won silver in the under-18 javelin at the National junior athletics championships in Bhubaneswar. Her introduction to the event came at school in Fatehabad district when her coach first took her from class to the javelin circle: “I didn’t even know what javelin was. Sir took me from the classroom and introduced me,” she said.

Hanuman Singh said he expects further improvement from her, noting exactly: “She can throw much better. Her technique is not that good yet, and she has had only about three years of javelin training. She will improve,” he said.

For now, though, an evening that began with two red flags ended with a different colour around Poonam’s neck. She had secured the women's under-20 javelin gold with a best of 51.48m.