Bhubaneswar: Kuldeep Kumar on Saturday produced a landmark performance at the 1st Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competitions in Bhubaneswar, clearing 5.41m to set a new Indian national record in men’s pole vault.
The 21-year-old from Madhya Pradesh surpassed the previous mark of 5.40m set by Dev Meena, who also competed in the event and finished with the bronze medal at Kalinga Athletics Indoor Stadium, according to reports.
Kuldeep, who entered the competition in strong form after a 5.25m gold-winning effort in Jaipur earlier this year, improved his personal best while edging past strong challengers, including Tamil Nadu’s Reegan Ganesh.
He attempted 5.46m three times but could not clear the height, which also stands just above the Asian Games qualifying mark of 5.45m.
Reegan secured the silver medal with a best effort of 5.25m, while Meena from Madhya Pradesh finished third with 5.20m to take bronze.
The Athletics Federation of India described the performance as a significant step forward, highlighting the growing strength of Madhya Pradesh in pole vault and India’s steady progress toward continental standards.
