Indian pole vaulter Baranica Elangovan won a bronze medal in the women’s pole vault at the Asian Games in Nagoya on September 26. She cleared 4.20m to finish on the podium after years of doubt and injury.Key HighlightsBaranica won the Asian Games pole vault bronze medal with a 4.20m clearance.She faced comments that “no one will marry her” if she got hurt.She had ACL surgery after a pole vault injury in 2019.Baranica credited her parents, coach Milber Bertrand Russell and the AFI for their support.Baranica Recalls Difficult StartThe Baranica Asiad Bronze win came after a long and difficult Baranica pole vault journey. When she first took up the sport, some people in her village questioned her decision to choose pole vault.They felt the event was too risky for a girl. Some people also spoke to her parents about possible injuries and marriage.Baranica said those comments were painful, but her parents did not stop her. They trusted her coach and allowed her to continue training.“Why let a girl take part in Pole Vault? This event is quite risky. If something happens to her, no one will marry her.”The comments became part of Baranica’s early sporting journey. Instead of leaving the sport, she continued to work hard and improve her performance.ACL Injury Added to Her ChallengeIn 2019, Baranica suffered a serious injury while vaulting. She later underwent ACL surgery. The injury created another major challenge in her career.Despite the setback, she returned to training and continued her Baranica pole vault journey. Her parents and coach remained important sources of support.Years later, she reached the Asian Games podium in Nagoya. Her Baranica Asian Games bronze came after she cleared 4.20m in the women’s pole vault event.Baranica said she did not immediately understand that she had won a medal. She was tied with an athlete from Kazakhstan for third place. A teammate later told her that she had made the podium.The Baranica bronze medal was a special moment for the athlete after years of hard work.Medal Dedicated to CoachBaranica dedicated her medal to her coach, Milber Bertrand Russell. She also thanked the Athletics Federation of India for its support.The AFI helped transport her specialised poles and arranged a training camp in Japan before the Games.Her story shows the challenges faced during her Baranica pole vault journey, from injury and social pressure to an Asian Games medal. The Asian Games pole vault bronze medalist now has a podium finish to mark a major moment in her career.Also Read : Seema Kumari 10,000m Bronze Ends India’s 16-Year Asian Games Wait
