Inter-State Athletics Championships: India’s Pole Vault Revolution Eyes Asian Games Glory in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, June 23: As the Inter-State Athletics Championships 2026 gets underway in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday (June 24), one of Indian athletics’ least-discussed events is quietly preparing for a historic breakthrough.

For all of India’s success on the track and in the field, the country has never sent a male pole vaulter to the Asian Games since 1986. That wait of 40 years could soon change.

Sundar Singh Tanwar (finished fourth) and Rajendra Kumar represented India at the continental multi-sporting event in New Delhi in 1982. Later in the 1986 Asiad at Seoul (South Korea), Vijay Pal Singh represented the country in pole vault but failed to make an impact.

The next Indian pole vaulter to compete at the Asian Games was women’s athlete Pavithra Venkatesh, who represented the country at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou (China) and finished sixth with a best jump of 4.00m. However, 2026 could finally change that story.

India now has two athletes who are capable of creating history, Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar. Both are in the best form of their careers and are leading a new era for Indian men’s pole vault.

Dev Meena’s rise began in 2025 when he broke the long-standing national record of 5.31m, previously held by Siva Subramanian. At the National Games, he cleared 5.32m to set a new benchmark.

He did not stop there. At the Federation Cup in Kochi, he improved the record to 5.35m. Later, during the World University Games qualification event, he raised it again to 5.40m. In Germany, he also managed an impressive 5.35m in the final. In total, Dev Meena broke the national record three times in a single year.

The momentum continued in 2026. At the Chinese Taipei Sun Moon Lake Pole Vault competition, Dev Meena once again equalled his national record by clearing 5.40m. At the same time, another star emerged, Kuldeep Kumar.

Kuldeep began his 2026 season by achieving a personal best of 5.25m. Soon after, at the 1st Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition in Bhubaneswar, he made history by breaking Dev Meena’s national record with a jump of 5.41m.

Then came one of the greatest days in Indian men’s pole vault history at the Federation Cup in Ranchi. First, Dev Meena cleared 5.42m to reclaim the national record. But only a few minutes later, Kuldeep Kumar surpassed him by clearing 5.45m.

The drama was not over yet. A few moments later, Dev Meena also cleared 5.45m, equalling Kuldeep’s mark. For the first time ever, India had two athletes jointly holding the men’s pole vault national record at 5.45m.

Their outstanding performances have already secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games. Now, their focus is on the Asian Games.

The qualification mark for the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, is also 5.45m. At the Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, both athletes will get another opportunity to officially strengthen their claims and create another piece of history.

There is also a third athlete in this exciting race, Reegan Ganesh. He became India’s third-best pole vaulter this year after achieving a personal best of 5.35m at the Indian Athletics Series-1 in Bengaluru. Behind this remarkable transformation is coach Ghanshyam Yadav, the architect of India’s pole vault revolution.

Under his guidance, Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar have continuously pushed each other to new heights. Since last season, athletes coached by Ghanshyam Yadav have broken the national record six times.

Together, they have raised India’s national record from 5.31m to 5.45m in a very short period. What once seemed impossible is now within reach.

India is no longer just participating in pole vault; it is building a new legacy. And with Dev Meena, Kuldeep Kumar and Reegan Ganesh leading the way, the dream of seeing an Indian male pole vaulter at the Asian Games podium may finally become a reality.