Asian Games: Baranica Elangovan becomes 1st Indian with this record
What's the story
Baranica Elangovan has made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a medal in pole vault at the Asian Games. The 29-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu clinched a bronze medal after clearing a height of 4.15m at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games on Friday. She shared the podium with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova, who also cleared 4.15m and had an identical countback record.
Athletic milestones
How Baranica fared in final
Baranica started her final with two confident clearances at 3.85m and 4.00m before needing two attempts to clear the height of 4.15m.
She then attempted a higher jump of 4.25m but failed three times, ending her competition there.
The athlete has had a stellar year, breaking the national record twice in March and May this year with jumps of 4.22m and then 4.23m respectively in Bhubaneswar, as per IANS.
Championship wins
Rivalry with fellow Indian Sindhushree Ganesha
A three-time national outdoor champion, Baranica had a no-mark at the 2023 Asian Championships but bounced back this season.
She cleared the Asian Games qualifying standard of 4.10m to win the Indian Open Jumps Competition in Bengaluru before breaking another national record.
Arriving in Nagoya with a personal best of 4.23m, she had been in a close domestic rivalry with fellow Indian Sindhushree Ganesha, who was also part of the Asian Games field.
Medal tally
Another fruitful day for Indian athletics
Baranica's historic bronze came on a fruitful day for Indian athletics as Gulveer Singh also won silver in the men's 10,000m race.
Baranica's effort was below her personal best of 4.23m but enough to secure a podium finish at the Asian Games.
Misaki Morota of Japan won gold with a personal best effort of 4.55m while China's Chunge Niu bagged silver with an impressive jump of 4.50m.