Kuldeep Kumar set a new national record in men’s pole vault, clearing 5.41m at the inaugural Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition.
The athlete from Madhya Pradesh achieved the mark in his first attempt, surpassing the previous national record of 5.40m held by Dev Kumar Meena. The effort also improved the indoor national record of 5.30m set earlier this year by Reegan G.
Kuldeep attempted to push further by going for 5.46m but was unable to clear the height. Nevertheless, his successful jump at 5.41m secured him the top spot and established a new benchmark in Indian pole vault.
Competition sees strong performances across field
Reegan G finished second with a best effort of 5.25m, while former record holder Dev Kumar Meena had to settle for third place after clearing 5.20m.
Meena, who had equalled his national record earlier this year at an international event in Taiwan, was unable to find rhythm during the competition and failed in his attempts at 5.35m.
Despite finishing third, Meena welcomed the new record, noting that higher standards benefit the sport.
Both Kuldeep and Meena train together in Madhya Pradesh, highlighting a competitive training environment that continues to push Indian pole vaulting forward.
In the U20 category, Kavinraja S of Tamil Nadu won gold with a jump of 4.90m, followed by R Vishal and Saurabh Yadav.
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