Ancy Sojan speaks of Dreams, PCOD struggle, Social Media Hatred: 'Let the Street Dogs Bark, I want to hear National Anthem at Asian Games' | Exclusive

The long jump runway may be where Ancy Sojan now creates history, but her story began far away from the roar of packed stadiums and the pressure of national records. It began in Nattika, Kerala, where a young girl simply loved to run, compete and play, without knowing where that instinct would eventually take her.

And the dream turned into reality in Bhubaneswar a couple of months back in the inter-state competition, where Ancy broke a 22-year-old national record of Anju Bobby George, taking a leap of 6.88 metres.

Ancy is now preparing for the Asian Games, with seven metres firmly in her sights. But before discussing records and medals, she takes the conversation back to Nattika in Kerala, where her sporting journey began without grand ambitions. Running was simply something she loved, and her father was among the first to recognise it.

From Nattika's Sand Pits to the National Record

Kerala has long carried a reputation for producing outstanding athletes, particularly jumpers, and Ancy believes there is something special about the state.

"I think the Kerala is might be like jumpers hub might be hiding lots of jumpers are coming from Kerala," she recalls. Her own childhood was filled with running games while other children were engaged in quieter activities.

"I was like always running game running it seems like that I will play with boys like ice and water and all so it was like crazy days," Ancy recalls. Her father, an auto-rickshaw driver, eventually found a way to introduce her to organised athletics, first through his friend Bobby and later through coach Sanoj VV, who is also known as Kannan Mash.

Those were modest beginnings. Before national camps, sophisticated facilities and international competitions, there was a sand pit and a youngster learning the sport through instinct and enthusiasm.

"It was like a training in the sand pit there is no that much facility I grown up from and it is nice olden days like a youngster no knowledge about sports that much like enjoying through the process," she remembers.

Ancy initially competed in several events, including sprinting, and long jump was not immediately the sole focus. Eventually, the demands of competing in three or four events, combined with injury concerns, made specialising necessary.

"When I after concentrating my long jump it is getting more progress because I can able to train concentrate with one event okay that was the reason," she explains.

The decision transformed her trajectory, but there were moments when the future looked uncertain. Her performances were declining, she felt mentally stressed and struggled to recover from training. At one point, the thought of leaving athletics altogether entered her mind. She even contemplated of leaving sports and prepare for army or navy exams!

The national camp offered a reset. A personal best helped Ancy rediscover something she had begun to lose - belief in herself. That change in mindset became an important part of the journey that eventually brought her to the national record.

PCOD, Weight Gain and the Fight to Find Herself Again

The most difficult battle was still to come. Last year brought injury concerns, weight-management problems and the discovery of PCOD-related issues. For an athlete dependent on speed, strength and rhythm, the physical changes were particularly difficult, with Ancy revealing that her weight reached around 63kg and her body fat around 26 per cent.

"it's made me about like a weight around 63 kgs and 26% of body fat it is like very huge I can't able to get rid of this thing it is very hard

The situation also brought mood swings and affected her training, forcing her to understand what was happening and work with medical guidance while gradually rebuilding her physical condition.

Eventually, discipline became central to the comeback. "If I want to jump consistently or for good performance, I need to be in great shape," she says. The improvement was visible in her technique, runway and confidence.

The result was the historic 6.88m jump. Ancy had been thinking about 6.90m after producing 6.75m at the Fed Cup, while seven metres had already begun occupying her thoughts. When the fifth jump finally produced the record-breaking distance, the emotion came from much more than the mark itself.

"Of course, it was a crazy moment. Even I was shocked." Then came the realisation of everything that had gone into reaching that point. The record was Anju Bobby George's old mark, making the achievement particularly significant for another long jumper from Kerala.

"Let the Street Dogs Bark": Ancy on Critics and Doubters

Success, however, has brought its own noise. Ancy has faced criticism on social media from people accusing her of showing off or questioning whether she had actually achieved anything significant. She has found it difficult to understand such comments because, from her perspective, they come from people who never see the work behind the performance.

"Some people come and comment that this girl is showing off," she recalls.

Her response is rooted in the reality of elite sport: "They are not going to the ground and they are not seeing how much hard work we are putting inside this."

Rather than constantly engaging with the criticism, she has learned to let it pass.

What I have decided is to let the street dogs bark, as we can't shut every dog's mouth. I have just decided to ignore them," Ancy says.

That mindset also extends to the people who doubted her when she was starting out. Ancy remembers people telling her father not to send her into sport, believing that an auto-rickshaw driver's daughter would not go far. "The auto rickshaw driver's daughter not gonna reach anywhere," she remembers hearing.

Her parents never compromised when it came to supporting her, even when finances were difficult. Shoes, clothing and other requirements were taken care of, and now the medals have become a source of immense pride. The people who once doubted her have since changed their tone, but Ancy remembers who stayed during the difficult years.

"The bad time will always be with me and only with our parents and coach and those who know closely," she reflects.

Seven Metres, Asian Games Gold and the National Anthem

Now, sitting in Bhubaneswar and preparing for the Asian Games, the conversation turns naturally towards what comes next. Seven metres is the immediate target, but Ancy's ambition extends further. She wants to challenge the Asian Games record and believes an even bigger distance could put the Asian record within reach.

"Of course I'm aiming for that only because I'm just 12 centimetres away from that," she says.

The Asian Games record of 6.91m is another target, while a jump beyond seven metres could bring three major milestones into the picture - her national record, the Asian Games record and the Asian record.

But numbers are not the deepest motivation. What Ancy really wants is the experience of standing on top of the podium for India.

"I want a gold medal very badly this time. I want to hear the national anthem."

She believes consistently jumping seven metres can put her in the medal conversation, but the immediate focus remains simple: stay fit, train properly, trust the process and execute the jump she knows she is capable of producing.

After ten years of waiting for her first international medal, Ancy understands patience better than most. And as she prepares for the Asian Games, the next destination is clear. Seven metres is the number, an Asian Games medal is the ambition, and the national anthem is the dream. For Ancy Sojan, the journey is still very much underway.