Baranica Elangovan makes history, wins India's first-ever pole vault medal at Asiad

Indian athlete Baranica Elangovan won the bronze medal in the women's pole vault at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Friday, giving India its first-ever medal in the event at the Asian Games.The 29-year-old secured the bronze with a best clearance of 4.15m. She shared the medal with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova, who also cleared 4.15m. The two athletes matched each other on countback, resulting in a shared bronze.Baranica began with first-attempt clearances of 3.85m and 4.00m before needing two attempts to clear 4.15m. She then attempted 4.25m but failed on all three attempts, ending her competition with the bronze medal.Her compatriot Sindhushree Ganesha exited the competition without registering a mark, while Baranica remained in contention for a medal.Baranica has also had a strong season, improving the national record twice earlier this year.