Dev Meena sets new National Record in men’s pole vault at 38th National Games

Dev Meena sets new National Record in men’s pole vault at 38th National Games

Dev Kumar Meena switched from 400m to pole vault just three years ago and he now appears to be in a big hurry to make up for the lost time.

The 19-year-old from Madhya Pradesh broke the pole vault National record, raising it by one centimetre to 5.32m, while retaining the National Games gold medal at the Ganga Stadium on Monday. It was the first National record in athletics at the ongoing edition. In the process, he also improved his personal best by 12cm.

After sailing over Tamil Nadu’s S. Siva’s National record, Dev became a bit ambitious. He went for 5.40m next but kept kicking the bar down every time.

“It was my new Cuban coach Angel Garcia Esteban’s decision to go for 5.40,” he said. Ghanshyam Yadav has been coaching him for the last few years at the MP athletics academy and Esteban, a former Cuban National champion, will begin working on the youngster soon.

Meanwhile, Asian and Asian Games champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor comfortably won the men’s shot put gold with an opening effort of 19.74m.

“I’ve recovered from the injury which had been troubling me and I will begin focusing on the Worlds this year,” said the Olympian, a former Asian record holder, who holds the National record (21.77m).

There was a big surprise in the women’s hammer throw where UP’s Anuksha Yadav improved her personal best by more than six metres as she broke the Games record and beat record-holder Tanya Chaudhary for the gold. In women’s triple jump, Punjab’s Niharika Vashisht won her maiden gold in a National competition, shocking defending champion N.V. Sheena and another leading name, Poorva Sawant.