Dev Kumar Meena betters nationwide pole vault file

New Delhi: Three years after he gave up sprinting and took up pole vault, Dev Kumar Meena set a nationwide file on the Uttarakhand Nationwide Video games on Monday. The 19-year-old from Madhya Pradesh cleared 5.32m, enhancing on S Siva’s file of 5.31m set in 2022.

Meena began as a sprinter at his village of Kheda in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, switching to pole vault in 2021 on the insistence of coach Ghanshyam Yadav, a former pole vaulter who trains him on the Tatya Tope Academy in Bhopal — a state government-run institute.

{The teenager} has impressed along with his progress. He received bronze on the Asian Junior Athletics Championships (U-20) in Dubai final 12 months, clearing 5.10m. He cleared 5.20m on the Indian Open U-23 meet in Patna final 12 months. He received gold on the Senior Nationwide Federation Cup final 12 months and competed within the 2024 World U20 Championships in Lima.

This time, he was defending the title from the final Nationwide Video games in Goa.

“I had tried the nationwide file on the India Open U23 Championships in Patna, however couldn’t clear it. I’m completely happy I used to be in a position to do it right here,” Meena mentioned.

Coach Ghanshyam has performed an necessary position in his profession, convincing Meena to take up the self-discipline. Ghanshyam, who is just 28-years-old, competed within the All India Inter College and Junior Nationwide meets however couldn’t proceed within the sport. Nevertheless, the fervour to do one thing for the game led him do an NIS teaching course and likewise clear the World Athletics stage 1 course. He was then on the lookout for younger expertise for the Bhopal academy. He’s at the moment learning biomechanics.

“The final 4 years I’ve been gaining information in pole vault. No person needs to do pole vault as a result of folks suppose it’s tough. Meena used to dash. He’s tall and robust and has a versatile physique. It took me a while to persuade him and his household to take up pole vault,” says Ghanshyam.

Meena stayed with Ghanshyam and skilled outdoors of the academy for a 12 months and ready himself. “It was little bit of a battle to start with. I had no expertise of pole vault, so I needed to present efficiency earlier than I used to be taken within the academy. Issues have been simpler after that,” says Meena.

The state academy in Bhopal, the place Ghanshyam trains 4 pole vaulters, has been an enormous assist. “They’re displaying good outcomes. The state authorities additionally appointed a Cuban coach a number of months in the past.”

Earlier than they left for Dehradun, Ghanshyam made one request to officers of state sport division — to provide them a letter to hold their poles in prepare with out restrictions. “We regularly face points in prepare due to our lengthy poles (5m). Final time, one TT abused me a lot. Nevertheless, this time since we had a letter, the journey from Bhopal to Delhi and Dehradun was comfy.”