Pole Vault And Hammer Throw Set For High-Voltage Battles At Federation Cup 2026

The Federation Cup 2026 in Ranchi is shaping up to be one of the strongest domestic athletics competitions India has seen in recent years, and among the most exciting events on Day 1 will be the men’s pole vault and hammer throw finals at the Birsa Munda Stadium.

Both events arrive with genuine anticipation surrounding them, thanks to a new generation of Indian athletes consistently pushing national standards higher and bringing Indian field events back into focus. The men’s pole vault final, scheduled for 5 PM IST on May 24, could produce one of the highlights of the competition. For the first time in years, India has multiple vaulters competing at a consistently elite level domestically, and all eyes will be on the trio of Kuldeep Kumar, Dev Meena and Reegan Ganesh.

Kuldeep Kumar enters Ranchi as the national record holder after his breakthrough performance earlier this season at the Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition in Bhubaneswar. The youngster cleared 5.41m to break Dev Meena’s previous national record of 5.40m, marking a major milestone for Indian pole vault.

That performance not only established Kuldeep as India’s new benchmark in the event but also highlighted the growing competitiveness within Indian pole vaulting. For years, the event lacked depth and consistent high-level competition. Now, athletes are beginning to push each other beyond historic marks.

Yet the national record battle may be far from over.

Dev Meena remains in exceptional form himself. The experienced vaulter cleared 5.40m earlier this year at a meet in Taiwan, proving that he remains fully capable of reclaiming the national record. His technical consistency and international exposure make him one of the most reliable performers in the field. The rivalry between Kuldeep and Dev has quietly become one of the most fascinating storylines in Indian athletics. One athlete holds the record, while the other has already demonstrated the ability to equal that level this season. With both competing in Ranchi, another national record attempt appears very realistic.

Adding even greater depth to the field is Reegan Ganesh.

The Tamil Nadu athlete has emerged as one of India’s most consistent pole vaulters in 2026 and enters the Federation Cup after clearing a personal best of 5.35m at the Indian Athletics Series-1 in Bengaluru. That performance made him India’s third-best pole vaulter of all time and confirmed his rise among the country’s elite field athletes.

More importantly, Reegan has repeatedly crossed the 5.30m barrier this season, showing a level of consistency that often separates elite vaulters from occasional high performers. With Kuldeep at 5.41m, Dev at 5.40m and Reegan at 5.35m, Indian pole vault suddenly finds itself in one of its strongest phases ever. The meet record currently stands at 5.35m, set by Dev Meena, but given the quality of the field, it would not be surprising if both the meet record and national record come under threat in Ranchi.

The growing standard in pole vault also reflects a larger shift happening within Indian athletics, where field events beyond javelin throw are beginning to produce genuine national-level rivalries and international-quality performances.

While the pole vault promises technical drama, the men’s hammer throw final at 6 PM IST could produce another historic moment. The biggest focus will naturally be on Damneet Singh, who has rapidly emerged as India’s leading hammer thrower this season. His stunning throw of 70.64m earlier this year announced his arrival among the country’s top field-event athletes and brought Indian hammer throw back into national discussion.

What made that throw especially significant was how close it came to history.

Damneet missed the national record of 70.73m by just nine centimetres. The record, set by Neeraj Kumar in 2016, has stood untouched for a decade. Damneet’s mark was also the first 70m-plus throw by an Indian athlete in ten years and the best Indian performance in the event during that period.

For Indian hammer throw, which has struggled for international relevance in recent years, Damneet’s rise has provided fresh optimism. The Punjab athlete has combined improved technique with significantly better release consistency this season, allowing him to finally challenge the national benchmark. His performances have also placed him firmly in contention for future international qualification events.

Joining him in the field will be Ashish Jakhar, another athlete who has impressed strongly this year. Jakhar achieved a personal best of 68.09m earlier in the season, currently the second-best mark by an Indian in 2026.

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His progress has added another layer of competitiveness to the event, ensuring Damneet cannot afford any technical lapses in Ranchi. The Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 73.09m remains a major challenge for Indian hammer throwers, but the recent improvements shown by both athletes suggest Indian standards in the event are finally moving upward again.

The Federation Cup therefore represents far more than a domestic championship.

For athletes like Kuldeep, Dev, Reegan and Damneet, Ranchi is an opportunity to prove that Indian field events are entering a new era one where national records are no longer rare exceptions but realistic targets every time elite athletes compete.

And if current form is any indication, Day 1 in Ranchi could produce something special.