Bhubaneswar: Rising pole vault star Dev Kumar Meena has set his sights on a personal best as he gears up for the inaugural Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition, beginning this Saturday at the Indoor Stadium in Kalinga Stadium.
The 20-year-old national record holder, who has shown impressive form this season, said his immediate goal is to deliver his best performance at the two-day competition. “My goal here in Bhubaneswar is to do my personal best,” Meena said, expressing confidence after productive practice sessions at the indoor facility.
Meena has been in strong form, having equalled his national record of 5.40m at an invitational meet in Taiwan in March. He also cleared 5.25m in domestic competitions earlier this season, underlining his consistency ahead of the indoor meet. The athlete had first set the national record of 5.40m in July last year.
The Bhubaneswar event is a key step in Meena’s larger ambitions this year, which include qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan. According to the Athletics Federation of India, the qualifying mark for men’s pole vault stands at 5.25m for the Commonwealth Games and 5.45m for the Asian Games.
The men’s pole vault event on the opening day will feature 14 athletes, including notable competitors such as Kuldeep Kumar from Madhya Pradesh and Reegan G from Tamil Nadu. Seven athletes are also set to compete in the men’s U20 category.
The women’s pole vault final is scheduled for Sunday, with 11 participants, including national record holder Baranica Elangovan, who holds a record of 4.22m.
The competition, being organised under the aegis of the Athletics Federation of India in coordination with the Government of Odisha and the Odisha Athletics Association, has attracted over 80 athletes across categories.
In addition to pole vault, events in heptathlon (men) and pentathlon (women) will be conducted in both senior and U20 groups, making it a comprehensive indoor athletics meet aimed at promoting multi-event disciplines in India.
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