Tamil Nadu’s Reegan wins pole vault gold at National Indoor Athletics C’ships, breaches CWG qualification mark
At the FISU World University Games in Germany last year, when Dev Meena set a personal best (PB) and a new national record (NR), the pole he used belonged to fellow Indian vaulter G. Reegan.
On Wednesday, Reegan had a moment of his own.
Competing on Day Two of the inaugural National Indoor Athletics Championships, the Tamil Nadu vaulter cleared 5.30m to win gold, register his personal best and move to third on India’s all-time list. The effort also saw him breach the Commonwealth Games qualification mark.
Speaking to Sportstar, Reegan reflected on his performance and on the episode from the World University Games, which marked his first international outing.
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“The pole that Meena had was very stiff and did not sit well in the box. He asked for my pole and tried it, and it suited him perfectly that day. We are competitors, but we are also representing India. When he asked, I gave it to him, and it helped him clear the height and set the national record,” Reegan said.
Reegan opened his campaign with comfortable clearances, at 4.95m and 5.10m, before progressing through 5.20m and 5.30m. He attempted 5.41m — which would have been a new national record — but fell short.
“On my first attempt at the national record, I had some technical issues. On the second, I was very close. Still, it is a big achievement for me,” he said.
The 24-year-old also noted that it was his first competitive experience in an indoor setting, adding that he relished the conditions.
“I’ve been training at this venue for a while, but my performances recently have been up and down. At the Inter-State Senior Nationals in Chennai, I cleared 5.20m and attempted 5.30m but missed it. It has been over a year since then, and to achieve my personal best now feels good. I am still improving and working on my basics,” he said.
With India set to host the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2028, Reegan believes indoor competitions offer distinct advantages.
“There is no wind indoors, no external disturbance, which helps with focus. Outdoors, if the wind is from behind, it can help, but if it comes from the front, it slows you down,” he said.
“For me, I am enjoying indoor competitions right now, but both formats have their pros and cons. Indoors, I can execute what I want more consistently, while outdoors, even a slight change in wind can affect my approach.”
Reegan has recently been training across both formats at the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre, drawing inspiration from global stars such as Armand Duplantis, who cleared 6.31m to break his own world record at a Swedish indoor meet in March 2026.
“Every week, I do two sessions each indoors and outdoors. We need to adapt mentally and physically to both. Worldwide, there are many indoor events, and athletes like Duplantis set records indoors, which gives them confidence heading into outdoor competitions as well,” he said.
Having secured the Commonwealth Games qualification mark, Reegan is now looking ahead to further milestones.
“It is a great opportunity. It would be my first time representing India if I am selected,” he said.
He added that gaining experience will be key moving forward.
“I lack experience. Now the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has introduced the Athletics Series with around 40 competitions. International athletes compete in about 25 events a year, which is roughly four a month, and that is why they are fearless. If I have to reach that level, I need to train hard and take part in competitions regularly, irrespective of how big or small the event is,” he said.
He has also set his sights on the next target.
“I want to clear 5.45m soon to meet the Asian Games qualification mark. From my last jump, I could gauge my potential. It gave me confidence that I can do it. I just need to keep working hard,” he added.
Published on Mar 25, 2026