Ancy wears a new hat to help sister Anjali

Even as she plans for next year, which has some big meets like the World Championships and the Asians, long jumper Ancy Sojan has taken up a new responsibility.

The 23-year-old, last year’s Asian Games long jump silver medallist in Hangzhou, is helping her younger sister E.S. Anjali, do well too.

“I’m her coach, I have a double role now,” said Ancy, in a chat with Sportstar, at the Calicut University Stadium here on Thursday evening.

“I’m focusing on corrections in her technique, but we don’t have much time, so I’m focusing on her fitness and told her to do her best. I also try to get her what I didn’t get when I was young…I’ve come from a very low level, so I know what to get her.”

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Anjali, also a long jumper, has a lot to learn from Ancy.

“She often advises me about technique. She has told me to better her records,” said Anjali, who will be competing in the under-18 long jump on Friday.

Ancy is not tall, but mentally, she is very strong, which is probably one of the reasons for her stunning performances.

The long jumper, who has an impressive personal best of 6.71m, revealed that her sessions with sports psychologist Stalin Raphel of Irinjalakuda’s St. Joseph’s College in the last couple of years helped her immensely.

“After that, I felt I could handle pressure well. He told me before the Asian Games that I would do 6.60m, and it happened,” said Ancy about her 6.63m, then a personal best, in Hangzhou.

“He said, ‘You collect those moments, keep them’ … I’m still keeping those moments, that helped even during my last competition. And I’m offering that advice to younger athletes, too. I always tell them that the mind is everything. I keep telling my sister also that.”

Ancy’s best jumps have come under Anoop Thomas, her national camp coach, and she believes that her student is capable of breaking Anju Bobby George’s national record of 6.83m and also the 7m barrier.

“Next year, my target is at least 6.86m (the qualification standard for the Worlds in Tokyo). But let’s see what God’s plan is. I will try my best. And if everything works out well, the 7m could come before 2028.”