Asian Games 2026: Couldn’t believe I had won a medal, says Baranica

Baranica Elangovan won a historic first-ever bronze in pole vault at the Asian Games , but as long as it took for the event to finally conclude as Misaki Morota tried to cross the 4.61m mark, it took longer for the Indian to accept she had actually won a medal.

“The other Indian pole vaulter, Sindhushree, told me I had won bronze, but I did not believe her. I kept checking again and again and again. Even when my coach Milber Bertrand Russell told me to look up at the big screen for the official confirmation, I was not sure, I wanted him to confirm from the officials. It is so surreal that I don’t think I will believe it till I actually get it in my hands,” a dazed but elated Baranica admitted.