Pole vaulter G Sindhushree breaks national record, fulfills late father's dream

G Sindhushree broke the women's pole vault national record at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, clearing 4.25 metres to better Baranica Elangovan's mark of 4.23 metres set earlier this year. The 25-year-old from Shivamogga also secured her place at the Asian Games.

After the event, an emotional Sindhushree took out a passport-size photo of her late father, Ganesh R, who died of a heart attack three years ago. "It was my father's dream to see me representing India at the international level," she said. "Today, when I have achieved that, he is not here to see that."

Her father, an electrician, had supported her athletic aspirations. Following his death, Sindhushree faced financial difficulties. "Pole vault is an expensive sport. It is tough for me as only my grandparents support me and take care of the family. My mother is a tailor and it is difficult for her to manage," she said.

Even the pole she used in the final was borrowed from a fellow athlete, Rahul, due to lack of funds. She trains at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru under coach Vijeesh MM, who noted that she had to adapt her technique because she lacked a longer pole. "She perfected her technique with the small pole but since she has practiced a lot with that pole, it became loose. As she didn't have the longer pole, we had to work on her technique so she could adjust to the smaller pole," Vijeesh explained.

Despite the challenges, Sindhushree has shown remarkable improvement, progressing from 3.30 metres in 2021 to her current national record. Coach Vijeesh praised her resilience: "She was stuck at 3.80m for a couple of years, but she didn't give up. We figured out what was wrong and worked on it."

Sindhushree hopes this achievement will bring more support. "This national record means everything to me. It is going to change the fortunes of my family. With the national record, I think I will get more support and hopefully my diet and training facilities will improve," she said.

She is now focused on the Asian Games. "It is going to be a moment of a lifetime for me. Right now, I am soaking everything in," she said.