Baranica Elangovan Makes History with Bronze at Asian Games 2026
Historic Achievement at the Asian Games
On September 25, Indian pole vaulter Baranica Elangovan achieved a remarkable milestone at the Asian Games 2026, securing a bronze medal with a personal best of 4.15 meters during the women's pole vault final held at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Elangovan showcased impressive consistency throughout the competition. Both she and Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova cleared the same height of 4.15 meters with identical attempts, leading to the decision to award them joint bronze medals.
As neither athlete managed to surpass the 4.25-meter mark, they officially shared the third position on the podium. This accomplishment marks Baranica Elangovan as the first Indian to earn a medal in pole vault at the Asian Games.
Profile of Baranica Elangovan
Before her success at the Asian Games 2026, Baranica Elangovan had already made a name for herself in pole vaulting. Originating from Kuthalam near Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, she initially focused on sprints and long jump before transitioning to pole vault during her college years at Ethiraj College in Chennai.
With support from the Pudhumai Penn Foundation and coaching from Milber Bertrand Russel, she steadily progressed in domestic competitions before joining the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre. In 2020, Baranica faced a significant setback due to an ACL injury in her left leg, which required extensive rehabilitation.
In 2023, she narrowly missed qualifying for the Indian team for the 2022 Asian Games, failing to meet the qualification standards at subsequent events.
Athletics Medal Sweep for India
The Indian athletics team has been excelling at the Asian Games 2026. Earlier, Seema Kumari secured a bronze in the women's 10,000m, while the mixed 4x400m relay team won a silver medal.
On the second day of the athletics events, alongside Baranica Elangovan's bronze, Gulveer Singh earned a silver in the men's 10,000m, and Manpreet Kaur added a bronze in the women's shot put, contributing to a successful day for India's track and field athletes in Aichi-Nagoya.
Additionally, Kiran and Prachi qualified for the women's 400m final, while mixed-relay silver medalist Vishal TK participated in the men's 400m Round 1 heats. Heptathletes Pooja and Anamika Aneesh also continued their events, finishing sixth and eighth, respectively.
As of Day 6, Team India has amassed a total of 23 medals, including two gold, nine silver, and twelve bronze, currently ranking 12th on the medal table, with China, Japan, and South Korea leading.