New Delhi: Indian pole vaulter Dev Meena produced a historic performance at the Inter State Athletics Championship on Wednesday, setting a new men’s national record and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games.
The 21 year old cleared 5.46 metres to surpass the previous national mark of 5.45m, which he had jointly held with fellow athlete Kuldeep Kumar. The achievement marked another milestone in the rapidly progressing career of one of India’s brightest field event prospects.
The new record comes just weeks after Meena and Kuldeep had traded the national best multiple times during the Federation Cup Athletics Championships in Ranchi. Meena had first improved the mark with a 5.42m effort before Kuldeep responded with a 5.45m clearance. Meena later matched that height to share the record.
For the young athlete, the latest achievement carried emotional significance as it came exactly a year after an injury had temporarily halted his progress.
Reflecting on the moment, Meena said his recovery journey had strengthened him mentally and helped him return with greater confidence and determination. He admitted there were questions about his physical condition after spending a long period away from competition but believed his mental strength had improved considerably during rehabilitation.
With the Asian Games now just a few months away, Meena has shifted his focus towards maintaining fitness and preparing for a medal challenge on the continental stage.
Earlier in the day, Indian athletics witnessed another remarkable performance as 18 year old hammer thrower Anushka Yadav broke the women’s national record with a throw of 67.02m at the Kalinga Stadium.
The youngster surpassed the previous national mark of 65.25m and became the youngest national record holder in Indian athletics. Impressively, she broke the existing record twice during the competition and comfortably achieved the qualifying standard for the Asian Games.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
