Baranica Elangovan Makes History with Asian Games Bronze in Pole Vault

Historic Achievement for Indian Athletics

Aichi-Nagoya, Japan - On September 25, Baranica Elangovan made history by winning a bronze medal in women's pole vault at the Asian Games, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat at the continental event. She dedicated her medal to her coach, Milber Bertrand Russell, expressing her gratitude with the words, "This is for you, Anna."

The 29-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu cleared a height of 4.15 meters, marking a significant milestone for Indian athletics, as the country had never previously secured a medal in pole vault at the Asian Games, whether in men's or women's categories.

Baranica was tied with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova at 4.15m, with both athletes failing to clear 4.25m. The bronze medal was awarded to Baranica based on countback, allowing her to stand on the podium.

In an interview following her achievement, Baranica credited the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) and the preparatory camp at the University of Tsukuba for her successful adaptation to the conditions in Japan. She stated, "I’m really happy. I want to thank the federation, the AFI, who supported me in this journey, because we had a preparatory camp at the University of Tsukuba, which really helped me adapt to the environment."

Initially, Baranica entered the competition with the goal of achieving a personal best rather than focusing on winning a medal. She emphasized her commitment to performance, saying, "I was not aiming for the medal, actually. I was aiming for the performance. I just wanted to hit my PB today."

Interestingly, pole vault was not Baranica's first choice of discipline. After relocating from Mayiladuthurai to Chennai for her studies, she initially engaged in long jump and triple jump before discovering her passion for pole vault. "I was part of the triple jump. I was searching for a coach for the triple jump, but unexpectedly, I got a coach for pole vault," she explained.

Her groundbreaking achievement has inspired hope for the future of pole vaulting in India, as she noted, "When I started, there were only five to six competitors. Now, you can see around 15 competitors, and many more young athletes are doing it in the under-20 category."

Baranica's bronze medal was part of a successful Day 6 for India at the Asian Games, where the country secured four athletics medals, including silver for Gulveer Singh in the men's 10,000m and bronze for Manpreet Kaur in women's shot put, along with a mixed doubles table tennis bronze for Manush Shah and Diya Chitale.

By the end of Day 6, India had amassed a total of 23 medals at the Asian Games, consisting of two gold, nine silver, and twelve bronze.