Bhubaneswar: Baranica Elangovan Soars Higher to Set Fresh National Record

At the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition held at the Bhubaneswar Indoor Athletics Centre, Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan once again etched her name into the record books with a stunning performance in the women’s pole vault. The 29-year-old bettered her own national record by clearing 4.23 metres, surpassing her previous mark of 4.22 m set just weeks earlier at the National Indoor Championships at the same venue.

A New Benchmark in Indian Pole Vaulting

Elangovan’s clearance of 4.23 m came on her third and final attempt, a testament to her composure and competitive grit on the runway. The progression through the competition was methodical and confident — she cleared 3.90 m, 3.95 m, 4.00 m and 4.10 m before moving on to her record-breaking height.

“It was another good day for me,” Baranica said after her landmark jump, reflecting on her consistent improvement this season.

From Setback to Success

Baranica’s rise to the top has not been without challenges. Earlier in her career, she struggled with injuries, including an ACL reconstruction that slowed her progress. Since shifting her base to Bhubaneswar and training with dedicated support, she has steadily climbed the national rankings and now stands as India’s premier women’s pole vaulter.

Competition Highlights

While Elangovan’s performance was the evening’s highlight, the meet also featured strong showings across other disciplines:

Men’s heptathlon: Thowfeeq N of NCOE Trivandrum won the gold with 5350 points.

Men’s U20 heptathlon: Kirthik Vasan S of Tamil Nadu topped the field with 4609 points.

Women’s pentathlon: Purnima Hembram of Odisha secured gold with 3835 points.

Elangovan’s achievement at Bhubaneswar further underlines her dominance in the event and signals a bright future as she continues to push the limits of Indian pole vaulting. With 4.23 m now the national benchmark, observers say her progression reflects a broader rise in standards within Indian field events.

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