At just 22, triple jumper Poorva Hitesh Sawant has built a career on chance, courage, and the stubborn belief that greatness isn’t a single leap, but a thousand carefully measured steps.
In a country that often reserves its loudest cheers for cricket, some stories find their own way to be heard not by accident, but through the quiet, determined steps of someone who never planned to be here in the first place.
Where It All Began
It all began, not at a world-class track, but in the courtyard of her Udayachal School in Mumbai, during what were simply called “Saturday activities.” Poorva wasn’t chasing medals or records then. “We had Taekwondo, athletics, skating, dancing,” she remembers, smiling at how random it sounds now. Her PT teacher, Bala sir, saw something in her. “He just told me to try athletics. I didn’t really know what it was I just ran.”
She ran faster than anyone expected. Not only beating the girls but the boys too, leaving her teachers and classmates stunned. “They started calling me the fastest in the school,” she laughs, still sounding surprised years later. It wasn’t ambition that pushed her forward then just the joy of moving fast, of doing something that felt right.
At sixteen, her path could have gone in a very different direction. She was a combined-event athlete, training for heptathlon, the famous grueling discipline that includes hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m. Triple jump wasn’t even on her radar. But in a twist of fate, she entered a national meet in triple jump “just in case.” She won. And with that, a new journey began.
Family: The silent, unwavering support
Her family’s belief is another invisible strength. At first, her parents, both from academic backgrounds were unsure. “There were notes from school asking for after-class training; they ignored them,” she remembers. But Bala sir didn’t give up, and her parents stood by her. “My parents supported me in everything: financially, emotionally, mentally,” she says. Her mother travels with her to Bangalore for training camps, and her father often manages competitions and logistics. Even her sister, though not an athlete, shares her journey.
Building basics at ABSF: A near-meter leap forward
But starting isn’t the same as becoming. Triple jump isn’t glamorous. It’s punishing, technical, and asks an athlete to be fearless and smart. “At first, my basics were terrible,” Poorva admits. “I could jump, but I didn’t really know why.” The turning point came when she joined Anju Bobby Sports Foundation (ABSF) in Bangalore, under the guidance of celebrated coach Bobby George and former world bronze medalist Anju Bobby George herself.
The improvement wasn’t instant, but it was visible. In 2021, Poorva’s best jump was 12.24 meters. A year later, she had crossed 13.18. “It wasn’t magic,” she says, “just hard work, patience, and finally learning the basics properly.” Watching athletes like Anju Bobby George who had once stood on the world stage made it feel real. “She showed me it’s possible,” Poorva reflects.
At ABSF, Poorva trains with Shaili Singh, another top jumper and her closest friend. “Even if we competed in the same event, it wouldn’t change our friendship,” she says. “Off the track, we’re each other’s strength.”
That support matters, because triple jump is as mental as it is physical. “We’ve seen each other through injuries, doubts, everything,” she says.
Yet, the real story is about what happens between those jumps, the countless unseen hours, and the moments of doubt when belief matters more than strength. At the Under-23 Nationals in Patna, she was leading, but her knee was hurting.
Then it started raining, forcing a long break. Some athletes might have stepped back and played safe. Poorva made a different choice: she passed her fifth jump to rest, then pushed everything into the sixth. The result: a jump of 13.25 meters, her best in nearly a year. “I’ve learned to listen to my body,” she says. “Knowing when to push and when to pause it makes the difference.”
Nutrition, allergies, and reinvention
For an athlete, the body isn’t just a machine; it’s a puzzle to understand. In 2023, Poorva took genetic and allergy tests through Qua Nutrition, discovering she was allergic to eggs, corn, almonds, peanuts foods most athletes rely on. “I didn’t even know how I was jumping before,” she laughs. Changing her diet transformed her strength and recovery. “Now I eat a Mediterranean diet it suits me and keeps me lighter.”
It’s not only the physical grind; it’s the mental resilience, too. Poorva talks openly about fighting off the pressure to be someone else, or to peak too fast. “I don’t want to take a huge leap and then fall back,” she explains. “I’d rather build slowly even if it takes time.” It’s a mindset shaped by years of experience and inspired by her idol: Rafael Nadal. “I love his aggression, how he owns the court before even starting. That’s the feeling I want when I step on the runway,” she says, pointing to his photo on her phone wallpaper.
Somaiya: More than a college, a platform
In Mumbai, Poorva studies at Somaiya, a college that supports her sport alongside academics. “They’ve done everything for me fees, resources, flexibility,” she says. She feels a deep bond with the Somaiya track itself. “I’ve seen myself grow up here. This track knows my story,” she says softly.
Somaiya supports few athletes like her, providing financial help and flexibility to balance academics and sport. “It’s not just about money; it’s about knowing someone believes in you,” she says. Walking on Somaiya’s track feels personal. “I’ve seen myself grow up here; this track has seen my entire journey,” she reflects.
There’s also a parallel life that Poorva values deeply: her academics. She’s completing her master’s and plans to pursue a PhD. It isn’t a backup plan; it’s part of who she is. “I love studying,” she says. “I want to keep learning alongside sport.”
Beyond medals, Poorva’s journey is driven by something deeper: a promise to herself. “I always want to beat my own best,” she says. “If I jumped 13.31, my goal isn’t to win the next event it’s to jump further.” That mindset turns pressure into possibility.
This commitment shows how she approaches clean sport, too. “Even with supplements, I check the WADA list four times,” she says firmly. “One mistake can cost years of work.” It’s a discipline she believes every athlete should have, to question, to verify, and to protect what they’ve built.
Future: World University Games and Olympic dreams
Her next immediate test is the World University Games in Germany. It won’t be easy: she’ll arrive just four days before competing due to scheduling changes. “Ideally, I’d go earlier to adjust, but you adapt,” she says calmly. It’s that calm, quiet confidence earned from hundreds of hours on the track that may prove more powerful than raw talent.
In a world that often chases quick success, Poorva’s story feels refreshingly different. She isn’t just trying to qualify for the Olympics; she wants to get there on her own terms. “I don’t want to rush and then regret,” she says. “I’m still young. For triple jump, I’m just getting started.”
She also stays grounded despite rising recognition. “At college, people sometimes ask for photos or autographs,” she smiles. “It feels nice, but it doesn’t change why I do this.” Ask her what she’d say to younger athletes starting out, and her answer isn’t about medals or fame. “Learn your body. Listen to it. Every jump teaches you something. And always stay clean don’t risk shortcuts.”
Staying cautious on social media
While some athletes, like Niharika, build a strong social media presence, Poorva keeps a quieter profile. “I don’t want content to define me,” she says. “When I’m filming, I start thinking like a videographer, and it distracts me.”
She sees value in sharing stories but keeps sport first. “If someone can do both, great. But for me, training comes first,” she explains.
The measure of an athlete’s greatness isn’t always in numbers or trophies; sometimes, it’s in the quiet choices made daily: to train when it rains, to rebuild technique from scratch, to listen to a tired knee, to keep faith after an injury, and to chase a higher standard than anyone else might set.
For Poorva Sawant, triple jump is more than sport it’s a conversation between body and mind, between past and possibility. “I don’t know what my best jump will be,” she says, her eyes shining with quiet determination. “But I know I’ll keep jumping until I find out.”
In every sense, she already has.
