Excitement Builds for India's First Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition

Inaugural Event Set to Showcase Top Talent

Bhubaneswar: The inaugural Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition is set to kick off this Saturday, featuring national record holders Dev Kumar Meena from Madhya Pradesh and Baranica Elangovan from Tamil Nadu as key participants.

This two-day event will take place at the modern Indoor facility within the Kalinga Stadium complex, which previously hosted the first National Indoor Championships in March and is slated to host the World Indoor Championships in 2028.

Meena has shown remarkable form this season, having matched his national record of 5.40m during an invitational event in Taiwan back in March.

The 20-year-old athlete expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "My aim here in Bhubaneswar is to achieve my personal best. I have enjoyed my training sessions at the Kalinga Stadium Indoor facility and am prepared to give my all."

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has set the men's pole vault qualification standard for the upcoming 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games at 5.25m, while the women's mark is 4.45m.

For the Asian Games in Japan later this year, the men's qualification standard is 5.45m, with the women's corresponding mark at 4.10m.

On the opening day, fourteen pole vaulters will compete in the men's event, including notable athletes like Kuldeep Kumar from Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu's Reegan G, who have recorded efforts of 5.30m and 5.35m respectively this season.

Additionally, seven athletes are confirmed for the men's U20 pole vault competition.

The women's pole vault final is scheduled for Sunday, with eleven athletes registered, but all eyes will be on Baranica Elangovan, who set a new national record of 4.22m during the inaugural National Indoor Championships at this venue.

In total, over 80 athletes have signed up for the competition, which will also feature heptathlon (men) and pentathlon (women) events across senior and U20 categories.

The heptathlon will include events such as 60m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1000m, while the pentathlon will consist of 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, and 800m.