Other Sports

Teenaage pole vaulter Dev Meena clinches gold at the National Games, qualifies for World U20 Athletics Championships

Madhya Pradesh pole vaulter Dev Meena scaled a height of 5.16m to clinch the gold medal in the 17th National Games and also to qualify for the World U20 Athletics Championships which will be held next year.

Meena, who hails from Madhya Pradesh’s agricultural belt of Dewas tried to cross the 5.20m mark but failed to do so. However, the youngster said that the competition was a valuable experience for him.

“The World U20 scheduled to be held in Lima will be a good opportunity for me to further scale new heights,” said the youngster who trains at the Madhya Pradesh Athletics Academy in Bhopal.

Meena was earlier a sprinter and his talent was spotted by the talent search team of the Madhya Pradesh government. He was initially selected for sprints but later he showed more interest in the jumping event.

“He (Meena) has good fundamentals to be a jumper, “ Sanjay Garnaik, former head of the Bhopal athletics academy said. “He showed interest in pole vault and has made good progress in the last two years.”

According to Garnaik pole vault is an extremely technical event which takes four to five years to master. He hailed Meena for being a quick learner but feels that he has a long way to go and needs more specialized training.

“Meena has proved to be a good learner. He is always eager to work hard. But there is a process of gradually building up to avoid early burnout,” Garnaik added. “With a more specialised training programme in future, we expect better results from him.”

He stated how getting enrolled on the athletics academy in Bhopal was a turning point in his life “At the village, we don’t have good facilities or coaching to become national-level athletes.”

Garnaik has shifted from Bhopal to Bhubaneswar but he still guides the teenage pole vaulter. He has convinced the Madhya Pradesh government to produce funds for more specialized training in the sport.

“Proper grooming is important. The Madhya Pradesh government has agreed to sanction funds for international exposure. Or for an appointment of a foreign expert for specialisation,” He concluded.

It will be exciting to see Meena perform at the World U20 Athletics Championship next year. India have not had great representation in the pole vault and one would love to see Meena shine.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

India’s Junior Men Clinch Bronze with Gritty 2-1 Win Over Australia in Four Nations Tournament

The Indian junior men’s hockey team wrapped up their campaign at the Four Nations Tournament… Read More

June 26, 2025

Suryakumar Yadav Undergoes Successful Sports Hernia Surgery, Eyes Return for Bangladesh Tour

India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has successfully undergone surgery for a sports hernia in his… Read More

June 26, 2025

Golden Glove Winner Jaspreet Singh Joins Bengaluru FC in Key Summer Move

Bengaluru FC have taken a decisive step toward rebuilding their squad by signing goalkeeper Jaspreet… Read More

June 26, 2025

Ravi Shastri says opening Test loss against England is a tough pill to swallow for India

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes the opening Test loss against England is a… Read More

June 26, 2025

Varun Aaron says England batters’ approach made Jasprit Bumrah desperate for wickets in 2nd innings of 1st Test

Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron believes England batters were able to find a way… Read More

June 26, 2025

Varun Aaron says Karun Nair will be disappointed with his opening Test performance against England

Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron believes Karun Nair will be disappointed after he failed… Read More

June 26, 2025