Emerging Sports Logo
result

There are moments in sport when an athlete is not just competing against others, but against her own limits. Right now, Baranica Elangovan is doing exactly that.

Just a day after a national record in the men’s pole vault grabbed attention, Baranica made sure the spotlight stayed on the event. Competing at the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition in Kalinga Stadium, she improved her own national record by clearing 4.23m.

What makes this performance special is not just the number, but the way she built it. She started her competition calmly, clearing 3.90m and 3.95m without trouble. From there, she moved up with confidence, going past 4.00m and 4.10m on her very first attempts.

Then came the big moment.

At 4.23m, Baranica faced a real test. After two failed attempts, she had one last chance. With focus and composure, she got it right on her third try setting a new national record and once again proving her consistency at the highest level in India.

“I wasn’t really aiming for a record. I was focusing on my technique, but I’m happy I could improve the national record,” Baranica told NNIS Sports after breaking the national record.

This wasn’t a sudden breakthrough. Earlier this season, she had already cleared 4.10m at the Indian Open Jumps, crossing the qualification mark set by the Athletics Federation of India for the Asian Games. Since then, she has kept pushing forward, improving step by step.

Interestingly, she even attempted 4.30m after her record jump, showing that she is already thinking beyond her current mark. Though she couldn’t clear it this time, the intent was clear she is not done yet.

Bhubaneswar is quickly becoming her favourite stage. From winning gold at the National Indoor Championships to setting back-to-back national records, the city has turned into a place where she keeps getting better.

“All the work and preparation are geared toward the Federation Cup and Inter-State Championships. I’m preparing for the major competitions. As I said, I need to focus on my technique,” she added.

Baranica’s journey is a reminder that progress in athletics doesn’t always come in big leaps. Sometimes, it is about small improvements one centimetre at a time that slowly build something remarkable.

And right now, with every jump, she is raising not just the bar, but the expectations for Indian pole vault.

India has found a new star in pole vault, and his name is Kuldeep Kumar. In a memorable performance, Kuldeep created history by setting a new national record of 5.41m, going past the previous mark of 5.40m held by Dev Meena.

The big moment came at the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault competition in Bhubaneswar. Kuldeep first cleared 5.35m, showing strong form. Then came the record-breaking jump 5.41m, a height that now stands as the best ever by an Indian.

He also tried 5.46m, which is just above the Asian Games 2026 qualification mark of 5.45m, but missed it narrowly. Still, this performance showed that he is very close to even bigger heights.

Kuldeep’s progress this season has been steady and impressive.

5.25m at Indian Open Jumps
5.25m at Indian Open Athletics Series
5.41m at Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault competition

This was also his third contest this year with Dev Meena. In Bengaluru, both cleared 5.25m but Meena won on countback. In Jaipur, Kuldeep returned the favour and won on countback. Now, in this third meeting, Kuldeep clearly came out on top with a national record.

Behind him, Reegan Ganesh finished second with 5.25m, while Dev Meena took third place with 5.20m.

After his historic jump, Kuldeep spoke with confidence and calmness “I’m feeling good. It was just luck that Dev couldn’t do it today. It feels great to break the national record. We are confident of doing even better in the coming championships.” He told NNIS Sports..

He also explained how things changed during the competition. “At 5.35m, I changed the pole and started doing better. I cleared 5.41m and just missed 5.46m.”

What makes this story even better is the bond between the two top vaulters. Kuldeep said, “Dev and I train together under the same coach. Training together really helps. Sometimes, Meena even clears 5.50m in training. Together, we will take Indian pole vault to greater heights.”

With this performance, Kuldeep Kumar has not only broken a record but also given Indian athletics a new hope. The way he is improving, crossing 5.45m and beyond now looks just a matter of time.

At a young age, Dev has already built a reputation for consistency. He is not loud, not flashy, but every time he steps onto the runway, he delivers. And that is what makes him special.
This season, he has already matched the national record of 5.40m, proving that his performances last year were no fluke. In fact, his journey over the past year shows clear progress  5.32m, 5.35m, and now 5.40m multiple times. It is a pattern of growth, not a one-off result.
A few weeks ago in Taiwan, he equalled the national record again. More importantly, he attempted 5.50m and came very close.
But Dev is not satisfied.
“In my opinion, the start of my 2026 season hasn’t been that good. I could have performed better,” he told Nnis Sports.“In Taiwan, the wind was very strong… otherwise, I could have easily cleared 5.50m.”
 Even at his best, he feels there is more to give.
Now, all eyes shift to the Indoor Combined Events Meet in Bhubaneswar, where Dev will compete alongside Reegan Ganesh and Kuldeep Yadav. Reegan has cleared 5.30m and is in top form, while Kuldeep is also improving steadily. The competition will be tight and that’s exactly what Dev wants.
“My target for tomorrow is 5.45m or more… I’ll get a strong push as Kuldeep Kumar and Reegan Ganesh are both in very good form.”
The number 5.45m is not just another mark. It is the qualification standard for the Asian Games 2026, a height no Indian male pole vaulter has ever officially achieved for qualification.
What works in his favour is his calm approach. He understands conditions, adapts quickly, and learns from every competition. Even though he mostly trains outdoors, he arrived early in Bhubaneswar to adjust to indoor conditions a small detail that shows his preparation.

Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar is set to compete at the Simbine Classic on April 28 in South Africa.

Sreeshankar opened his 2026 season at the Indian Open Athletics Series 1 with a best jump of 8.15m, signalling strong early form.

So far this year, only two Indian athletes have crossed the 8m mark in men’s long jump — Lokesh Sathyanathan with 8.21m and Sreeshankar himself with 8.15m.

As he heads into the Simbine Classic, Sreeshankar will look to build on this momentum against an international field.

Lokesh Sathyanathan continued his impressive run of form, equalling his personal best of 8.21m to clinch top spot at the Michael Johnson Invitational.

Fresh off his NCAA men’s long jump title last month—where he first recorded the same 8.21m—Lokesh has now matched that mark again in an outdoor meet, underlining his consistency at the highest level.

He was the only athlete in the competition to breach the 8-metre barrier, standing out in a strong field.

His jump series reflected both stability and peak performance: 7.66m, foul, foul, 8.01m, 8.21m, 8.02m.

Shaili Singh is currently leading the women’s long jump after three rounds at the Indian Athletics Series in New Delhi.

She recorded a best jump of 6.24m in her second attempt and chose to pass her third attempt.

Mubassina Mohammed is in second place with a best of 6.05m, achieved in her third attempt.

So far, these are the only two athletes to have crossed the 6m mark in the competition.

Series so far:
• Mubassina — 5.98m, foul, 6.05m
• Shaili — foul, 6.24m, pass

The competition remains open heading into the remaining rounds.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will host the 1st Indian Indoor Open Combined Events & Pole Vault Competition 2026 on May 2–3 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The competition promises high drama with India’s top pole vaulters in peak form:

With multiple athletes performing at record-breaking levels, the Bhubaneswar meet is set to be a showcase of India’s indoor athletics talent.

The 2026 season has started with consistent performances in men’s pole vault across multiple competitions in India and abroad.

At the Indian Athletics Series – 2 held in Jaipur, Dev Meena cleared 5.25m on his first attempt. He later tried 5.35m but could not clear the height and finished second in the competition.

Kuldeep Kumar also cleared 5.25m to take the top position, while Avneesh Kumar finished third with a clearance of 5.00m. This marked the third time in his career that Avneesh has crossed the 5m mark.

Earlier in the season, Dev Meena had opened his campaign at the Indian Open Jumps with a clearance of 5.25m. After that, the bar was raised to 5.35m, where attempts were unsuccessful.

In another major competition, Dev Meena cleared 5.40m at the Nantou Sun Moon Lake International Pole Vault Invitational in Taiwan, equalling the national record. He also attempted 5.50m but was unable to clear it. This was his second competition of the season.

Kuldeep Kumar has shown steady progress this year. He achieved a personal best of 5.25m at the Indian Open Jumps in Bengaluru and has maintained similar performances in consecutive competitions. In the previous season, he had crossed 5.00m in four competitions.

Another notable performance this season came from Reegan Ganesh, who cleared 5.35m at the Indian Athletics Series – 1, becoming one of the top performers in Indian pole vault history.

Compared to previous seasons, where there was a clear gap at the national level, the 2026 season has seen multiple athletes producing similar results around the 5.25m–5.40m range. This has increased competition within the field.

The qualification mark for the Asian Games 2026 stands at 5.45m. So far, no Indian male pole vaulter has achieved this mark. However, multiple athletes have already crossed the Commonwealth Games standard this season.

Selections for upcoming major events will be decided through key domestic competitions. The Federation Cup will determine qualification for the Commonwealth Games, while the Inter-State Championships will play a role in Asian Games selection.

Looking at recent results, consistent performances above 5.00m have become more frequent. The focus now shifts towards achieving higher clearances in the coming months as athletes aim to reach the 5.45m qualification standard.

Murali Sreeshankar delivered another strong performance, recording 8.13m in the men’s long jump at the Indian Athletics Series-1 in Bengaluru.

His best jump came in the third attempt, making him the only Indian to cross the 8m mark in the competition.

With this effort, he also became one of the few Asian athletes to breach 8m in 2026.

Returning from injury last season, Sreeshankar has maintained consistency, having crossed the 8m mark in three out of six competitions in 2025.

Ancy Sojan made a strong start to her 2026 outdoor season by winning gold in the women’s long jump at the Indian Athletics Series – 1 in Bengaluru.
She secured the top spot with a jump of 6.54m, which came in her very first attempt. It turned out to be her best mark of the day and set the tone for the competition.
Ancy delivered a consistent series throughout the event: 6.54m, 6.48m, 6.47m, 6.48m, 6.50m, and one foul.
The competition was held at the Kanteerava Stadium, a venue that has been very special for Ancy.
She had earlier registered her personal best of 6.71m at this same stadium in 2024. She also jumped 6.52m here during the Indian Grand Prix. Now, she has added another strong performance of 6.54m at the same ground.
Clearly, Bengaluru continues to be her “happy hunting ground.”
Shaili Singh finished second with a best jump of 6.52m. However, it was not her best outing.
She recorded four consecutive fouls, which affected her rhythm in the competition.
Despite having a personal best of 6.76m, Shaili has crossed the 6.60m mark only once in last year, a 6.64m jump at the Federation Cup. While she won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships last year, her overall performances have been average. This is something that could be a concern going forward.
Today, Moumita Mondal secured third place with a jump of 6.37m, completing the podium.
Ancy has been in impressive form this year. She recently won a bronze medal at the Asian Indoor Championships 2026 with a jump of 6.21m.
This first place is especially important because she had to end her previous season early due to injury. Now, she looks fully fit and confident.
She is currently India’s third-best long jumper and still improving.