The First Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition 2026 in Bhubaneswar will highlight India's leading vaulters, with national record holder Dev Kumar Meena targeting another strong performance at the two-day indoor meet at the city's Indoor Stadium.
Dev Kumar Meena, aged 20 and representing Madhya Pradesh, has reached Bhubaneswar early to fine-tune preparations at the Kalinga Stadium Indoor facility. "My goal here in Bhubaneswar is to do my personal best, Dev Kumar Meena said, adding after training, "I enjoyed my practice sessions at Kalinga Stadium (Indoor), and "I'm ready to do my best.
Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition: key athletes and pole vault schedule
The men's pole vault will begin on Saturday, with fourteen athletes entered in the senior category. The line-up features Madhya Pradesh
athlete Kuldeep Kumar and Tamil Nadu's Reegan G, while seven competitors are listed for the men's U20 pole vault. The women's senior pole vault final is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, with eleven entries confirmed.
National record holder Baranica Elangovan will draw attention in the women's pole vault final, as Baranica Elangovan holds both season and personal best marks of 4.22m, which stands as the current national record. Competition will also take place in the women's U20 pole vault group, adding depth to the schedule.
Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition: qualification standards and pole vault targets
Qualification standards set by Athletics Federation of India for major events put context around this weekend's results. For the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Japan Asian Games, the required marks differ for men and women, as shown below.
| Event | Category | Qualification mark |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Games | Men's pole vault | 5.25m |
| Commonwealth Games | Women's pole vault | 4.45m |
| Japan Asian Games | Men's pole vault | 5.45m |
| Japan Asian Games | Women's pole vault | 4.10m |
Reaching these marks is part of Dev Kumar Meena's wider season plan. Excelling at the indoor competition is one key objective, alongside aiming for selection to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Japan Asian Games, where the higher men's standard of 5.45m will test consistency and progression.
Over the past year, Dev Kumar Meena's performance graph has stayed strong. In July last year, Dev Kumar Meena raised the national record to 5.40m. In March this year, that mark was equalled during an invitational meet in Taiwan, while domestic competitions in March and April produced clearances of 5.25m, matching the Commonwealth Games standard.
Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition: combined events and pole vault field
Beyond pole vault, the Bhubaneswar meet will feature combined events in senior and U20 categories for both men and women. More than 80 athletes have confirmed participation, with Athletics Federation of India working alongside Government of Odisha and Odisha Athletics Association to run the First Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition 2026.
| Discipline | Gender | Category | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heptathlon | Men | Senior and U20 | 60m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault, 1000m |
| Pentathlon | Women | Senior and U20 | 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, 800m |
With national record holders in action, clear qualification marks published, and full combined events schedules, the Bhubaneswar competition will offer athletes an organised platform to chase personal bests, strengthen form for the 2026 season, and measure progress against selection targets for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Japan Asian Games.
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