Indian high jumper Pooja, the 2026 Asian Games bronze medallist and national record holder, has signed with Neeraj Chopra's VEL Sports Management, which will support her sporting development, career management and commercial opportunities.Asian Games medallist and national record holder Pooja joins Neeraj Chopra's VEL SportsNew Delhi,Oct 28, 2026 17:17 ISTIndian high jumper Pooja, who won bronze at the 2026 Asian Games and holds the national record, has signed with VEL Sports Management, an athlete representation initiative founded on Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra's vision of supporting Indian sport.The partnership will see VEL Sports manage Pooja's sporting and professional interests, including training support, brand partnerships, endorsements, contract negotiations, media engagement and long-term career planning.The 19-year-old will look to build on her recent performances as she continues to establish herself in Indian athletics. VEL will help her manage the commercial aspects of her career while she focuses on training and competition.Himani Mor, Managing Director of VEL Sports Management, said the organisation was pleased to bring Pooja on board and would work towards helping her progress in the sport. "We are delighted to welcome Pooja to VEL Sports Management.
She has already demonstrated tremendous promise, and we are confident that with the right support and opportunities, she can reach even greater heights and continue making the country proud," Mor said."Our vision at VEL is to build a strong support system around athletes, helping them focus on their sporting ambitions while unlocking opportunities for professional and commercial growth," she added. Mor also said Chopra's commitment to Indian sport was central to the initiative, which aims to give athletes the support they need to develop their careers.Pooja said she was happy to begin the association and hoped to achieve bigger milestones in the high jump."My focus has always been on improving as an athlete, representing India and achieving bigger milestones in high jump.
Coming from Haryana, like Neeraj sir, I feel a special sense of pride in representing our country and hope to inspire more young athletes to dream big," she said.She added that she was looking forward to VEL's support as she worked towards her goals.Pooja won bronze in the women's high jump at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Earlier this year, she set a national record of 1.93 metres while winning gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.The Haryana-born athlete will now look to build on those performances as she targets further success at the international level.VEL Sports Management focuses on athlete representation, brand partnerships, contract negotiations, career planning and personal branding.
Chopra's initiative aims to help Indian athletes secure professional and commercial opportunities alongside their sporting careers.- Ends