Baranica Elangovan set a new national record in women's pole vault. (CREDIT: AFI)Baranica Elangovan has spent the last few years trying to break the national record in women’s pole vault.“I was attempting to break it for the past three years. When the record for 4.15 metres I attempted it three times, when it became 4.21 I attempted it five times,” the 28-year-old from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, said minutes after setting a new national mark of 4.22 metres.On Tuesday at the 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships, Baranica was in a league of her own. Silver medalist Blessy Kunjumon’s ceiling was 3.95m and third-placed Mariya Jaison finished at a height of 3.80m.She clinched the gold medal by clearing 4 metres but she was not fully spent. The crossbar was raised to 4.10m, which she sailed over so easily that 4.22m was set as the next height. By then, the rest of the competitors had packed their bags for the day. Taking a few deep breaths, Baranica held her posture on the runway, planted the pole smoothly and cleared the record-breaking height as loud cheers resounded within the indoor stadium.With World Athletics recognising pole vault marks set in indoor or outdoor competitions as a unified one, Baranica’s name will enter the record books.Immediately, she ran to her long-time coach Milber Russel, who has been with her through thick and thin. “It was an emotional moment for us because we have been trying so hard for the past three years to break the national record,” Baranica said.ALSO READ | Pole vault phenomenon Mondo Duplantis could well star on Indian soil when Bhubaneswar hosts 2028 World Indoor Athletics ChampionshipsStory continues below this adHer dream to become the best pole vaulter in the country didn’t come true earlier because of an injury setback. Six years ago an ACL reconstructive surgery to her left leg, the one she takes off with, set her back. After struggling with pain post-surgery for three years, she found the physios who worked miracles at the Abhinav Bindra Targeting Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar. “The physios and the advanced machines at the centre were really helpful. Before moving to Bhubaneswar, my performances were up and down because I had pain on and off,” Baranica said.Last season she also had a nagging backache when she didn’t get enough recovery time between competitions. Finding a technique she was comfortable with also took time. This season, she and her coach have focused only on the runway approach, which she has been struggling with for years.“We are concentrating only on the runway, mainly the high carry of the pole vault because earlier she didn’t have enough confidence on the runway,” coach Russel said. High carry, the coach elaborates, is to hold the pole at a seventy degree angle for the first seven to eight strides, after which there is an active pole drop, which improves acceleration and makes it easier to plant the pole.“If she carries the pole correctly in the early phase on the runway, then she does not have to worry about take off because there will be a good active pole drop and then she will be in a good position to jump at takeoff as her technique improves and she has proper gymnastic movement. If she drops the pole early, she does not know where to take off,” Russel said.Story continues below this adBaranica, a Reliance Foundation sponsored athlete, also used a smaller pole on her record-breaking day. “This is not the pole she usually uses in competitions. There is more resistance in this smaller pole so the athlete can potentially go higher,” the coach said.For Baranica, changing a technical aspect and getting comfortable takes time. “You have to mentally prepare, apart from physically. It’s not easy to immediately pick up a (new) technique. A minor change affects you because you would have been practising another way a thousand times. Also, you have to get it right in the competition. This time I had decided not to put myself under too much pressure. This is not the peak time of the season as there are many competitions ahead. So far we were focusing on the runway and high-carry technique and it has worked for me,” Baranica said.Earlier this month at the Indian Open Jumps competition in Bengaluru, Baranica, met the Asian Games qualifying standard of 4.10 metres set by the Athletics Federation of India. Less than two weeks later, she became the national record holder. She hopes to scale new heights after fulfilling a long-cherished dream of being the national record holder.Nihal Koshie is an Associate Editor and sports writer at The Indian Express. He is best known for his in-depth reporting and investigative work that often explores the intersection of sports and social issues. He is also a key member of the sports desk, which is based out of The Indian Express' office in Noida. Professional Background Role: Associate Editor (Sports) at The Indian Express. Key Achievements: He is a two-time winner of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. He won the RNG award for 'Sports Journalism' for 2019 for his exclusive interview and follow up stories with sprinter Dutee Chand, who became the first Indian athlete to say she was in a same-sex relationship. He won his second RNG award in the 'Investigative Reporting' for 2023 for a series of exclusive stories related to sexual harassment charges levelled against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by the country's top women wrestlers. Expertise: While he covers major sports, he is particularly recognized for his extensive reporting on Athletics, investigative stories and long-form news features. Recent Notable Topics & Articles (Late 2025) Nihal Koshie’s recent work reflects a focus on investigative and human-interest stories Recent investigative pieces: He recently wrote a profile of an Indian teenager serving a jail sentence in Kenya after being embroiled in a doping scandal while chasing "Olympic dreams." Wrestling: He continues to track the political and social fallout of the Indian wrestling protests, including the recent public appearances of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the political career of wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Recent long-form features: The story of the rise of Kranti Gaud, the young fast bowler who was a key member of the ICC women's World Cup-winning team; The physics and science behind modern cricket bats Podcast Presence He is a guest and contributor to the "Game Time" podcast by The Indian Express, where he provides technical and social analysis of current sporting events. Experience: 24+ years Previous experience: Times of India (2001-2005), Daily News and Analysis (2005 to 2010) Nihal joined The Indian Express in May, 2010 Social Media X ( formerly Twitter) : @nkoshie You can follow his latest work and full archive on his official author profile. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd