Baranica Elangovan is an Indian athlete and pole vaulter from Tamil Nadu who has made a name for herself in the women’s pole vault. She began her athletic journey with events like the long jump and sprinting before later taking up the pole vault. She achieved her greatest success in 2026 when she won a bronze medal in the pole vault at the Asian Games held in Nagoya, Japan. She became the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in this event.
Baranica Elangovan Bio/Wiki
Baranica Elangovan was born on February 3, 1997, in Kuthalam, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu. As of 2026, she is 29 years old. She began her athletics journey in the sixth grade, initially competing in sprinting, long jump, and triple jump before taking up pole vaulting.
She studied at Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai and later completed her master’s degree at M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women. Her coach, Milbar Bertrand Russell, encouraged her to focus on the pole vault and helped her hone her skills in the event.
In 2020, Baranica suffered an ACL injury that kept her out of competition for a period. After recovering, she moved to the Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar in 2023 to continue her training and prepare for a return to top-level athletics.
Baranica Elangovan Personal Information
| Full Name | Baranica Elangovan |
| Profession | Athlete |
| Date of Birth | 3 February 1997 |
| Age | 29 Years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu |
| College | Ethiraj College for Woman, Chennai |
| Qualification | Master’s Degree |
| Height | Not Known |
| Weight | Not Known |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair color | Black |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Not Known |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Hobbies | Not Known |
| Net Worth | Not Known |
Also Read: Sawal Barwal, Vedaant Madhavan
Baranica Elangovan Career Information
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Pole Vault |
| Coach | Milber Bertrand Russell |
| Personal Best | 4.23m |
| Athletics Background | Long Jump & Sprint |
| Pole Vault Debut | College Years |
| Major Achievements | Asian Games 2026 Bronze Medal |
Baranica Elangovan Family & Relationship
Baranica Elangovan comes from a farming family in Tamil Nadu. Her father is a farmer, while her mother is a homemaker.
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affairs/Boyfriend | Not Known |
| Father | Name Not Known |
| Mother | Name Not Known |
| Siblings | Not Known |
Baranica Elangovan Career
Baranica began her athletics career with the long jump and sprinting, later taking up the pole vault during college. Coach Milber Bertrand Russell encouraged her to pursue this event and helped refine her technique.
Her career suffered a setback in 2020 due to an ACL injury, but she resumed training after rehabilitation. In 2023, she moved to the Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar, a move that played a pivotal role in her comeback.
In 2026, Baranica delivered the best performance of her career to date. First, she set a new national record by clearing a height of 4.22m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in March. In May, she improved upon this record by clearing 4.23m at the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault competition.
She also won the gold medal at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships by clearing a height of 4.20m.
Baranica Elangovan at Asian Games
Baranica represented India in the women’s pole vault event at the 2026 Asian Games held in Nagoya, Japan.
On September 25, 2026, she won the bronze medal by clearing a height of 4.15 meters. She shared the bronze medal with Kazakhstan’s Polina Ivanova, who also cleared the 4.15-meter mark.
With this achievement, Baranica became the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in the pole vault.
Baranica Elangovan Awards & Achievements
- In 2026, Baranica won the gold medal at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships by clearing a height of 4.20m.
- In 2026, she set a national record of 4.22m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships.
- In 2026, she improved her national record to 4.23m at the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault competition.
- In 2026, she won the bronze medal at the Asian Games by clearing a height of 4.15m.
- In 2026, she became the first Indian to win an Asian Games medal in the pole vault.
Baranica Elangovan Social Media Accounts
| @barani_vaulter |
Baranica Elangovan Interesting Facts
- Baranica initially participated in the long jump and sprinting.
- She took up pole vaulting during her college days.
- She suffered an ACL injury in 2020.
- She resumed training after a difficult rehabilitation process.
- She won India’s first Asian Games medal in pole vaulting in 2026.
