National Games 2023: Dev Meena, a teenage pole vaulter, wins gold and advances to the World U20 Championship
Dev Kumar Meena, a teenage pole vaulter from Madhya Pradesh, cleared 5.16 metres to win the gold medal in the 37th National Games and earn a spot at the World U20 Athletics Championships the following year.
The 18-year-old from the Madhya Pradesh agricultural belt of Dewas tried and failed to pass 5.20 metres at the Bambolim Athletics venue, but he still considered the tournament a worthwhile educational experience.
In November 2020, the Madhya Pradesh government’s talent search team discovered the sprinter-turned-pole vaulter. He was chosen for short sprints at first, but as he became more interested in the jumping competition, he moved to pole vaulting.