Baranica Elangovan Makes History with Bronze in Women's Pole Vault at Asian Games

Baranica Elangovan has etched her name in history by winning a bronze medal in women's pole vault at the Asian Games, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat. Dedicating her medal to coach Milber Bertrand Russell, Baranica expressed gratitude towards the Athletic Federation of India for their support. Initially focused on achieving a personal best, she transitioned from long jump to pole vault and is optimistic about inspiring future generations in this discipline. Her achievement is part of a successful Day 6 for India at the Games, contributing to a total of 23 medals.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 26, 2026, 00:32 IST

Historic Achievement in Pole Vault

Baranica Elangovan has made history by winning a bronze medal in women's pole vault at the Asian Games, dedicating her achievement to her coach, Milber Bertrand Russell. This marks a significant milestone as she becomes the first Indian to earn a medal in this event at the continental level. After her remarkable performance in Nagoya on Friday, Baranica expressed her gratitude, stating, "This is for you, Anna." The 29-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu cleared a height of 4.15 meters, setting a new precedent for Indian athletics, as the country had never previously secured a medal in pole vault at the Asian Games for either gender.

Baranica was tied with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova at 4.15 meters, with both athletes failing to clear 4.25 meters. The bronze medal was awarded to Baranica based on countback.

Gratitude Towards AFI

In a post-competition interview, Baranica credited the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) and the preparatory camp at the University of Tsukuba for her success. She stated, "I'm really happy. I want to thank the federation, the AFI, who supported me in this journey. The preparatory camp helped me adapt to the environment, and I didn't struggle with food or recovery. With AFI's help, today's medal was possible."

She emphasized that her focus was on achieving a personal best rather than aiming for a medal, saying, "I was not aiming for the medal, actually. I was aiming for the performance. I just wanted to hit my PB today."

Transition to Pole Vault

Interestingly, pole vault was not Baranica's initial sport. After relocating from Mayiladuthurai to Chennai for her studies, she began with long jump and triple jump. "I was part of the triple jump and was looking for a coach for that event. Unexpectedly, I found a coach for pole vault, and after seeing the event, I got really excited and decided to give it a try," she explained.

Since then, she has committed to the sport and followed the necessary routines.

Inspiring Future Generations

Baranica's groundbreaking achievement has sparked hope for the future of pole vault in India. "Definitely! When I started, there were only five to six competitors. Now, there are around 15 competitors, and many young athletes are participating in the under-20 category. I can see it, and definitely, India will see a change in pole vault history," she remarked.

Day 6 Medal Summary

Baranica's bronze medal was part of a successful Day 6 for India, which included four athletics medals: Gulveer Singh's silver in the men's 10,000m, bronze medals from Manpreet Kaur in women's shot put, and the mixed doubles table tennis pair of Manush Shah and Diya Chitale. By the end of Day 6, India had accumulated a total of 23 medals at the Asian Games, consisting of two gold, nine silver, and twelve bronze.