India's Baranica Elangovan competes in the women's pole vault final at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)A few days before Baranica Elangovan was due to leave for Japan, there was still one question hanging over her Asian Games campaign: would her pole make it there?On Friday, the 29-year-old cleared 4.15 metres to win bronze in the women’s pole vault, becoming the first Indian to win an Asian Games medal in the event. But getting the equipment that would carry her over the bar to Nagoya had been a struggle of its own.The 4.30m pole was hardly something she could simply check in with her luggage. More than six or seven airlines were approached, emails were sent, and the answer kept coming back the same: their regulations allowed equipment only up to 3.40 metres. Baranica’s pole was 90 centimetres longer. “It was a big struggle,” said her coach Milber Bertrand Russell. “We tried more than six to seven airlines, we tried, sent emails. The problem was the length was too high.”The Athletics Federation of India then stepped in. “They explained to the airline officials that this is sports equipment and we are going to the Asian Games to represent our country,” Russell said.Eventually, Japan Airlines agreed.The clearance came a few days before Baranica’s departure. The poles would travel with her after all.For pole vaulters, transporting their equipment is a familiar logistical headache. Thankfully for Baranica, the problem was solved before she left India. In Nagoya, she had another one to deal with: clearing the bar.Her 4.15m clearance was below the 4.23m national record she set earlier this year, but it was enough to put her on the podium. She shared bronze with Kazakhstan’s Polina Ivanova, who also cleared 4.15m. Japan’s Misaki Morota won gold with a jump of 4.55m while Niu Chunge of China clinched silver after clearing 4.50m.Story continues below this adFor Baranica, the medal carried the weight of a much longer struggle. She tore the ACL in her take-off leg in 2020 and spent years trying to rebuild her body and career. This year, she began finding her heights again, breaking the national record twice.On Friday, she needed two attempts to jump over 4.15m. She could not get over 4.25m, but by then the medal was secure.“I’m really feeling happy that… I’m really happy that I was able to bring a medal for my country,” she said. “It’s my dream, actually, to change it, rewrite history, and I did it today.”The pole had arrived in time. Baranica had done the rest.Over the course of a 18-year-long career, Mihir Vasavda has covered 2010 FIFA World Cup; the London 2012, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games; Asian Games in 2014 and 2022; Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018; Hockey World Cups in 2018 and 2023 and the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup. ... Read More Tags:Asian GamesAsian Games 2026