Baranica Elangovan Makes History with Bronze Medal at Asian Games 2026

Historic Achievement in Pole Vault

Indian athlete Baranica Elangovan made a remarkable mark by clinching the bronze medal in the women's pole vault at the Asian Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya on Friday. This victory makes her the first Indian to earn a medal in this event at the Asian Games, as reported by Olympics.com.

Baranica successfully cleared a height of 4.15 meters, finishing in a tie for third place with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova. Both athletes achieved the same height and had identical attempts before failing to surpass 4.25 meters. Consequently, they shared the bronze medal due to their equal performance.

This bronze medal signifies a groundbreaking moment for Indian athletics, marking Baranica as the first-ever Asian Games medallist in pole vault for both men’s and women’s categories.

India's Growing Medal Count

With Baranica's achievement, India's overall medal tally now stands at 23, comprising two golds, nine silvers, and twelve bronzes.

Athletics Success Continues

Earlier in the day, Gulveer showcased an impressive performance, finishing second in the men’s 10,000m event with a time of 28:29.38, thereby securing a silver medal for India.

Additionally, Manpreet Kaur earned a bronze medal in the women’s shot put, achieving her best throw of 17.17 meters on her fourth attempt.

Shooting Triumphs

In shooting, the duo of Kamaljeet and Suruchi Inder Singh won gold in the mixed team event for the 10m air pistol. Meanwhile, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil, and Niraj Kumar brought home silver in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event.

Racquet Sports Highlights

In table tennis, the mixed doubles team of Manush Shah and Diya Chitale secured a bronze medal after reaching the semi-finals, where they faced defeat against China's Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha.

The squash mixed doubles team of Joshana Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar also advanced to the semi-finals, ensuring a medal for India.

In singles, Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh progressed to their respective semi-finals.

Team Events Summary

Both the men's and women's kabaddi teams of India have reached the finals after winning their semi-final matches against Thailand and Nepal.

In hockey, the Indian women's team triumphed over Japan with a score of 3-1 in their Pool B match.

Other Notable Performances

In swimming, Rishabh Das finished sixth in the men’s 200m backstroke final, while weightlifter Seram Nirupama Devi placed seventh in the women’s 61kg category.

Boxer Preeti's journey in the Asian Games concluded in the round of 16 after a 0-5 loss to North Korea’s Pang Chol Mi.