Sugupa university

When Baranica Elangovan: When Baranica Elangovan took up pole vault, people in her village questioned whether the sport was worth the risk and even told her parents that “no one will marry her” if she got injured. Years later, the 24-year-old Indian athlete stood on the Asian Games podium in Nagoya, winning a bronze medal in the women’s pole vault after clearing 4.20m.

Elangovan, who hails from a village and took up pole vaulting despite suffering an ACL injury in 2019, said the medal was a culmination of her parents’ faith, her coach’s belief and the support she received from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).