India, June 28 -- Ancy Sojan took a closer look at the pit. Then, fists closed, she shook both her hands in nervous anticipation. When the number flashed on the electronic scoreboard, she broke into animated celebration, pumping those fists to the chest, placing her palms on the head and collapsing on the track.

Ancy had just broken the women's long jump national record that had stood for more than two decades, at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The 25-year-old Kerala jumper's effort of 6.88m bettered the mark of 6.83m set by Anju Bobby George while finishing fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

On a day when high jumper Sarvesh Kushare also set a new national record, Ancy looked like she was out to do s...