THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, MAY 2, 2026

Kuldeep Kumar of Madhya Pradesh produced a stunning performance to script history, setting a new national men's pole vault record on the opening day of the inaugural Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition at Bhubaneswar's Indoor Stadium on Saturday.

The 21-year-old cleared an impressive 5.41 metres on his very first attempt, eclipsing the previous national record of 5.40m established last year by Dev Kumar Meena. In the process, Kuldeep also bettered the national indoor record of 5.30m, which had been set earlier this March by Tamil Nadu's Reegan G.

Fresh from his record-breaking feat, Kuldeep attempted 5.46m but fell short in all three efforts. Nevertheless, the young vaulter was delighted with his outing. "It was a good day for me," Kuldeep said after his memorable achievement.

Competing indoors for the very first time, Kuldeep admitted that adapting to the fast Mondo track at Bhubaneswar's state-of-the-art indoor stadium was initially challenging. "It was a good experience today," he remarked, reflecting on his maiden indoor competition.

The battle for the gold medal turned into a gripping three-way contest involving Kuldeep Kumar, Dev Kumar Meena, and Reegan G. As the competition intensified, former national record holder Dev Kumar Meena struggled to find his best rhythm and eventually settled for the bronze medal with an effort of 5.20m.

Reegan G, who had entered the competition in excellent form, made valiant attempts at 5.35m but could not clear the bar in three tries. He secured the silver medal after clearing 5.25m.

Kuldeep's successful clearance of 5.35m on his second attempt proved to be the turning point. Brimming with confidence thereafter, he called for 5.41m and soared over it magnificently, setting a new benchmark and sending a strong message ahead of the major outdoor domestic championships scheduled later this month in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Dev Kumar Meena, who had equalled his own national record of 5.40m earlier this year in Taiwan and started as the pre-event favourite, sportingly acknowledged Kuldeep's achievement. "It wasn't my day, but it is always good to aim for new goals," he said, welcoming the new national standard.

Interestingly, both Dev Kumar Meena and Kuldeep Kumar train together at the same facility in Madhya Pradesh, making the rivalry even more compelling.

With the outdoor season approaching, the competition among India's leading pole vaulters promises to become even fiercer. The top three finishers in Bhubaneswar will now set their sights on securing berths in the Indian contingent for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Japan.

An equally exciting contest unfolded in the men's heptathlon, where Thowfeeq N of NCOE Trivandrum emerged as the Day-One leader with 2,943 points. Odisha's Jashbir Nayak remained hot on his heels, occupying second place with 2,927 points.

The opening day's heptathlon events included the 60m sprint, long jump, shot put, and high jump. The competition will conclude on Sunday with the 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1,000m race.

 

Results: Men, Pole Vault: Kuldeep Kumar (Madhya Pradesh) 5.41m (National Record), Reegan G (Tamil Nadu) 5.25m, Dev Kumar Meena (Madhya Pradesh) 5.20m.

Men U-20, Pole Vault: Kavinraja S (Tamil Nadu) 4.90m, R Vishal (Tamil Nadu) 4.70m, Saurabh Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 4.20m.