Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan produced a sensational performance on the opening day of the 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026, clearing a new national record height of **4.22m** in the women’s pole vault to etch her name into the Indian athletics history books.
The 29-year-old vaulter bettered the previous overall national record of 4.21m (set outdoors by Rosy Meena Paulraj in 2022), delivering a landmark moment inside the world-class Kalinga Stadium. Her clearance not only highlighted her dominance but also underscored the growing depth and quality of Indian athletics as the country gears up to host major international events.
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) officials hailed the achievement as a perfect curtain-raiser for the championships, which are being held at the same venue that will stage the **2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships**. AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo, in a related statement, emphasised the significance of the event: “Hosting the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar will further reaffirm Odisha as the Sports Capital of India.”
The historic setting of Kalinga Stadium added extra sparkle to Day One, with several strong performances across track and field events.
Day-One Highlights:
**Men’s Events:**
- **800m:** Mohammed Afsal (Air Force) took gold in 1:47.86s, ahead of Kalyan JR (Karnataka, 1:53.98s) and Sayan Karmakar (West Bengal, 1:56.98s).
- **U20 800m:** Lokesh Magendhiran (Tamil Nadu) clocked 1:53.92s for gold, with Rajdip Pal (West Bengal) second in 2:02.34s.
- **3,000m:** Shivaji Parashuram (Reliance) won in 8:09.88s, followed by Vinod Singh (Madhya Pradesh, 8:16.93s) and Rahul Kumar Verma (Chhattisgarh, 8:18.21s).
- **60m Hurdles:** Krishik M (Karnataka) sprinted to victory in 7.71s, with Rathish P (Reliance) second in 7.84s and Muhammed Lazan (JSW) third in 8.00s.
- **Long Jump:** Sarun Payasingh (Odisha) claimed gold with a best of 7.80m, narrowly ahead of Praveen Chithravel (JSW, 7.78m) and David P (Railways, 7.69m).
- **Shot Put:** Ravi Kumar (BSF) dominated with 17.17m, while Adhish Ghildiyal (Uttarakhand) threw 16.92m for silver and Balaji (Tamil Nadu) 16.74m for bronze.
- **U20 Shot Put:** Local talent Ommkar Prasad Nand (Odisha) impressed with 17.77m for gold, ahead of SAI Kiran A (NCOE Patiala, 17.00m) and Harshit Gahlot (JSW, 16.98m).
**Women’s Events:**
- **3,000m:** Priyanka C (Karnataka) won in 9:42.05s, with Kajal Rangnath (Gujarat) second in 9:44.01s and Sushmita Tigga (Odisha) third in 10:22.30s.
- **Shot Put:** Rekha (NCOE Patiala) secured gold with 15.63m; Mayuri Arade (Karnataka) took silver with 9.15m.
- **U20 Shot Put:** Dona Maria (Kerala) won with 13.35m, followed by Khusboo (Haryana, 12.03m) and Akhshaya GR (Tamil Nadu, 11.89m).
- **Pole Vault:** Baranica Elangovan’s record-breaking 4.22m led the podium, with Blessy Kunjumon (Kerala) clearing 3.95m for silver and Mariya Jaison (Kerala) 3.38m for bronze.
- **Long Jump:** Anamika KA (JSW) jumped 6.05m for gold, pipping Manisha Merel (Odisha, 6.04m) and Sherin A (JSW, 5.92m).
The championships continue on Day Two with more athletes expected to chase personal bests and national marks on the fast indoor track.
Baranica Elangovan’s record leap has set an inspiring tone, signalling that Indian athletics is ready to take flight on the global stage when the world arrives in Bhubaneswar in 2028.
