Plain rice was replaced by vegetables and meat, while biryani and maida-based Malabar parotta were junked by Ancy Sojan, the long jumper who broke Anju Bobby George’s 22-year-old national record in June.

Before jumping 6.88 metres at the Inter-State Championships to better Anju’s 6.83m, Ancy needed to manage weight gain caused by Polycystic Ovarian Disease, diagnosed only last year.

Last week, after winning gold at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver in Bhubaneswar, with a best jump of 6.71 metres, Ancy spoke about her struggle with PCOD.

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“Now, I am 55 kilograms, but at the start of last year I was 63kg. My body fat percentage was 26 last year. I checked my fat percentage before coming to Bhubaneswar, it is just 13 now,” Ancy told .

Irregular periods led to weight gain and an uncontrollable craving for food, said the 25-year-old, who is bound for the Asian Games.

Ancy got her first period in her late teens. “Initially, if I didn’t get my period for one month, I will get it in the next month. At that time, I was very lean. But in 2025, it started to get worse. I started eating a larger quantity of food. Last year, I trained for three months, and all I lost was just a percent of fat. My coach said, ‘earlier, two weeks of training were enough for you to get lean.’ I had to do something,” Ancy said.

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She suspected these were symptoms of PCOD but never got herself tested, until things got out of control last year and she had to address it.

“I started missing my period for a second month too. I was gaining too much weight. I started getting joint pain and mood swings, and I had low energy. I couldn’t get a good output in training last year. I knew this was a symptom of PCOD. My nutritionist told me to consult a doctor,” Ancy said.

Ancy Sojan started sketching ‘Avengers’ on the cover of Blinkit bags and now regularly posts on a second Instagram account. (Credit: Mis.Picasso/Insta)

The doctor’s diagnosis was PCOD-related hormone imbalance.

Ancy manages a tricky balance even today. A side effect of the medicine she takes when she misses her period is weight gain. “If I start the medicine, that also results in weight gain. But once I get my period, the weight goes down. Before the Asian Games, I need to have the medication and get my period, so I can lose weight,” Ancy said.

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Giving up comfort food is a challenge for Ancy, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.

“I am eating salads, meat, fish, and one roti. The doctor told me, you are not a long-distance runner, so you don’t need too many carbs. If you want to have rice, eat only brown rice. Even if I order food, I stick to a Subway sandwich,” said Ancy, who hails from Nattika in Thrissur.

The change in diet, the medication, and learning to live with PCOD helped Ancy improve.

At the Continental Tour Silver in Bhubaneswar, five of Ancy’s legal jumps were over 6.50 metres. When she broke Anju’s national record at the Inter-State Championships in June, her series of jumps read: 6.73m, foul, 6.67m, 6.72m, 6.88m and 6.69m.

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“Before, in India, 6.71 metres (Silver Tour) was a huge jump. Now it is average for me. 6.88 metres was a statement. From 2022 onwards, I started thinking of a 7-metre jump,” Ancy said.

Ancy Sojan, who has taken to sketching, has completed four coloring books. (Credit: Mis.Picasso/Insta)

Ancy’s coach at the Jio Institute in Navi Mumbai, Anoop Joseph, said they began training for the 2026 season in September.

“This year, the focus was on speed on the runway. Her strength has improved. Her clean lift is now 82kg plus. Previously, it was 75kg. She has a good technique, so that helps,” Joseph said.

Speed comes naturally to her: 11.82 seconds, her best time in the 100 metres, from 2021, when she was an active sprinter.

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The challenge for Ancy is to hold her peak form until the Asian Games. She broke the national record in June; the Games begin September 19. “She has to hold her peak. 6.88 metres is close to her maximum peak this season. So, we have not changed a single exercise. We don’t want to add any new exercises. I know it is very boring for an athlete, but she understands. She has the potential to jump seven metres,” Joseph said.

When she isn’t chasing the seven-metre goal, Ancy relaxes by sketching. She started with Avengers characters printed on bags from the delivery app Blinkit, and has since graduated to a full sketchbook. “I have a second Instagram page, mis.picasso, where I post randomly. I have completed four sketchbooks. When my boyfriend saw I was busy colouring, he called me ‘hey Miss Picasso.’ So I went with that name for Instagram.”