India, July 22 -- Pole vault is the favourite sport for the youth in the locality of Mauaima, adjoining Prayagraj district in Uttar Pradesh. The reason is that many past pole vaulters of note such as Babita Patel, Ankit Yadav and Mukesh Kumar Chaudhary have emerged from here.

The latest is the emergence of Kuldeep Kumar, a recent national record holder, under coach Ghanshyam Yadav, who has also helped Madhya Pradesh's Dev Meena shatter the national record twice this year. Yadav hopes both his trainees will make their presence felt at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a podium finish.

Yadav isn't looking at the immediate future. He has chalked out plans for Kumar and Meena to build them to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "Bo...