Mumbai, Aug. 1 -- Few partnerships have influenced the rise of Indian athletics quite like that of pole vaulters Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar.
Training together at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), the two young athletes have playeda defining role in raising the standard of men's pole vault in India. Their journeys haveevolved in tandem-constantly challenging one another in training, sharing milestones, and rewriting expectations for the event.
From jointly clearing a then national record of 5.45m at the Federation Cup to Dev improving it further with a 5.46m jump at the Inter-State Championships, their friendly rivalry has becomeone of the driving forces behind Indian pole vault's rapid progress.
Now, as they prepare for the Commonwe...