Baranica Elangovan has spent the last few years trying to break the national record in women’s pole vault.
“I was attempting to break it for the past three years. When the record for 4.15 metres I attempted it three times, when it became 4.21 I attempted it five times,” the 28-year-old from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, said minutes after setting a new national mark of 4.22 metres.
On Tuesday at the 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships, Baranica was in a league of her own. Silver medalist Blessy Kunjumon’s ceiling was 3.95m and third-placed Mariya Jaison finished at a height of 3.80m.
She clinched the gold medal by clearing 4 metres but she was not fully spent. The crossbar was raised to 4.10m, which she sailed over so easily that 4.22m was set as the next height. By then, the rest of the competitors had packed their bags for the day. Taking a few deep breaths, Baranica held her posture on the runway, planted the pole smoothly and cleared the record-breaking height as loud cheers resounded within the indoor stadium.
