Dev Meena, the rising star in men’s pole vault, continues to make waves in the athletics world with his impressive performances. The 19-year-old athlete from Madhya Pradesh recently defended his crown at the Federation Cup with a jump of 5.10m, showcasing his talent and potential in the sport.
Meena, who hails from Silphod village, was initially a sprinter before his coaches advised him to switch to pole vaulting due to his physique. Since then, he has been making steady progress and has already set a new youth National Record of 4.91m last year.
Despite not having a foreign coach like his predecessor S.Siva, who had the guidance of Dan Wilcox until his unfortunate passing, Meena is proving that he has what it takes to compete at the international level. With a personal best of 5.16m, he has secured a spot at the upcoming World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru and recently won a medal at the Asian U20 Athletics Championship in Dubai.
Meena’s success has sparked discussions about bringing in a foreign coach to further enhance his skills and technique. While he currently trains at the Madhya Pradesh Athletics Academy in Bhopal, the prospect of having a foreign coach has been welcomed by the young athlete.
As Meena continues to impress on the track, he remains focused on his goals and looks up to athletes like Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis and Emmanouil ‘Manolo’ Karalis for inspiration. With his determination and talent, Dev Meena is definitely a name to watch out for in the world of pole vaulting.