Baranica Elangovan broke the women’s pole vault national record to win the gold medal in the event at the National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
Competing at the Kalinga Stadium, the 29-year-old Indian athlete needed just one attempt to clear 4.22m and top the field. The effort bettered the previous national record of 4.21m, achieved by Rosy Meena Paulraj in 2022 in an outdoor event.
According to World Athletics, there’s no distinction between outdoor and indoor events for records in pole vault.
The standing world record of 6.31m in men’s pole vault, set by Sweden’s Armand Duplantis earlier this month, also came in an indoor event.
However, Elangovan’s effort will need to be ratified by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
Blessy Kunjumon (3.95m) and Mariya Jaison (3.80m) finished second and third, respectively, at the inaugural National Indoor Championships for athletics.
Baranica, a three-time outdoor national champion, has been in solid form this season.
Earlier this month, she won gold at the Indian Open Jumps Competition in Bengaluru with a 4.10m leap, matching India’s entry standard for the Asian Games 2026. Her personal best in outdoor competition is 4.15m, set in 2024.
In the men’s long jump, Praveen Chithravel, the triple jump national record-holder and Asian Games bronze medallist, finished second with a 7.78m effort.
Sarun Payasingh claimed gold with a 7.80m jump, while David P took bronze at 7.69m. Chithravel has competed in long jump in the past, but sparsely.
Asian Games silver medallist Mohammed Afsal P won the men’s 800m title, clocking 1:47.86. Kalyan J R (1:53.98) and Sayan Karmakar (1:56.98) completed the podium.
The opening day also featured senior men’s and women’s competitions in 3000m, shot put, long jump, 60m hurdles and 800m.
The National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 will conclude at the same venue on Wednesday.
National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026: Day 1 winners
- Women’s pole vault: 1. Baranica Elangovan (4.22m); 2. Blessy Kunjumon (3.95m); 3. Mariya Jaison (3.80m)
- Men’s long jump: 1. Sarun Payasingh (7.80m); 2. Praveen Chithravel (7.78m); 3. David P (7.69m)
- Women’s long jump: 1. Anamika K A (6.05m); 2. Manisha Merel (6.04m); 3. Sherin A (5.92m)
- Men’s 800m: 1. Mohammed Afsal P (1:47.86); 2. Kalyan J R (1:53.98); 3. Sayan Karmakar (1:56.98)
- Women’s 800m: 1. Preeti Yadav (2:11.83); 2 Laxmipriya Kisan (2:13.20); 3. NA
- Women’s 60m hurdles: 1. Anjali C (8.32); 2. Sabita Toppo (8.395); 3. Pranjali Dilip Patil (8.397)
- Men’s 60m hurdles: 1. Krishik M (7.71); 2. Rathish Rathish Pandid (7.84); 3. Muhammed Lazan V K (8.00)
- Women’s 3000m: 1. Priyanka C (9:42.05); 2. Kajal Rangnath Kanw (9:44.01); 3. Susmita Tigga (10:22.30)
- Men’s 3000m: 1. Shivaji Parashuram (8:09.88); 2. Vinod Singh (8:16.93); 3. Rahul Kumar Verma (8:18.21)
- Women’s shot put: 1. Rekha (15.63m); 2. Mayuri Arade (9.15m); 3. NA
- Men’s shot put: 1. Ravi Kumar (17.17m); 2. Adhish Ghildiyal (16.92m); 3. Balaji (16.74m)
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/national-indoor-athletics-championships-2026-day-1-report
