Teenage sensation Dev Kumar Meena wins gold in pole vault at National Games, qualifies for World U20 Championships

Dev Kumar Meena (18) punched above his weight and won the gold medal in pole vault in the 37th edition of the National Games in Goa. The youngster managed a height of 5.16 meters.

Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Meena could not cross the 5.20-meter mark but said that he gained a lot of experience from the competition. He also booked a berth in the World Under 20 Athletics Championships, which is scheduled to take place in 2024.

Meena said that he is looking forward to performing well at the world level in Lima. The Young Turk plies his trade at the Madhya Pradesh Athletics Academy in Bhopal. He said that joining the academy was a development in his career as his village does not have good training facilities.

“The World U20 scheduled to be held in Lima will be a good opportunity for me to further scale new heights,” Meena was quoted as saying in News18.

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Sanjay Garnaik praises Dev Kumar Meena after gold medal at National Games

Back in November 2020, the Madhya Pradesh government’s talent search team spotted him. Meena started his career as a sprinter before shifting focus towards pole vault.

Sanjay Garnaik, the former chief of the Bhopal athletics academy said that Meena has grown leaps and bounds in the last two years or so.

Garnaik said that it takes four to five years for an athlete to learn the techniques of pole vault. He lauded Meena for being a keen learner and showing enthusiasm to raise the bar.

“Meena has proved to be a good learner. He is always eager to work hard. But there is a process of gradually building up to avoid early burnout,” Garnaik said.

Apart from honing his skills as a pole vaulter, Meena also helps his father in the fields. Meena said that working in hot and humid conditions helps him stay fit.