Men’s Pole Vault Final Highlights, Commonwealth Games 2026: Dev Meena Finishes Fourth After Brave Fight

A valiant effort from Dev Meena, but his Commonwealth Games campaign ends just short of the podium. The Indian fails to clear 5.40m on his third and final attempt, bringing an impressive competition to a close. Dev had looked composed throughout the evening with a string of first-attempt clearances, but the bar at 5.40m ultimately proved a step too far. Thomas Walley of Wales also exits after three unsuccessful attempts at the same height, finishing fifth. Dev Meena secures fourth place, narrowly missing out on a medal but delivering another encouraging performance that highlights India's growing strength in the pole vault.

Hello and welcome to live updates from Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow, where the battle for the men's pole vault medals is about to begin. India's Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar are in action, hoping to clear the bar in style and challenge for a place on the podium.

Kuldeep Kumar was the first of the two Indians in action and made a confident start, comfortably clearing 4.90m on his opening attempt despite the chilly, blustery conditions in Glasgow. Dev Meena and Kuldeep may not have the highest personal bests in the field, but unpredictable weather often makes pole vault a contest of consistency rather than rankings. The Indian duo have pushed each other to new heights in recent months, regularly exchanging the national record, Dev currently holds it at 5.46m, just ahead of Kuldeep's 5.45m. With both in good form, they'll be hoping to spring a surprise and force their way into medal contention.

India's challenge continues to gather momentum as Kuldeep Kumar and Dev Meena both clear 5.10m comfortably, showing impressive confidence in the final. Moments after their successful attempts, the duo head to the sidelines for a quick chat with decathlon bronze medallist Tejaswin Shankar, who offers words of encouragement and valuable advice. It may not be a technical discussion, but Tejaswin's experience on the biggest international stages could prove invaluable in helping the two Commonwealth Games debutants stay composed as the bar continues to rise.

The Indian clears 5.30m at the first attempt, making it another flawless "one and done" clearance as he keeps himself firmly in the hunt. His confidence and rhythm continue to impress with every height. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Kumar suffers a setback, aborting his first attempt just before planting the pole and then failing to generate enough elevation on his second try. With the pressure mounting, Kuldeep will need a successful final attempt to stay alive, while Dev's medal hopes continue to gather momentum.

Christos Tamanis (Cyprus) and New Zealand duo James Steyn and Nicholas Southgate have each failed twice at the height and are now staring at elimination. One more unsuccessful attempt will end their medal hopes and bring their Commonwealth Games campaign to a close.

Kuldeep Kumar's Commonwealth Games campaign comes to an end with a sixth-place finish. The Indian came agonisingly close to clearing 5.40m on his first attempt, soaring over the bar before his thighs clipped it on the way down, turning what looked like a brilliant clearance into a heartbreaking failure. Having already passed his final attempt at 5.30m after two misses, Kuldeep took the gamble of moving up, but it didn't pay off. He bows out with a best clearance of 5.10m, ending a spirited debut campaign, while teammate Dev Meena continues India's medal challenge in the final.

The Indian records a second straight failure at 5.40m, lacking the speed and power needed in his run-up to clear the bar. He now has one final attempt to keep his medal hopes alive in a tense finish to the competition.

The Australian clears 5.80m at the first attempt, equalling the 20-year-old Commonwealth Games record set by compatriot Steven Hooker. Behind him, Owen Heard bows out after three unsuccessful attempts at the same height, settling for the bronze medal, while Rademeyer also fails at 5.80m but secures silver on countback. With the gold medal already wrapped up, all eyes now turn to Marschall. Will the Australian raise the bar once more and break the long-standing Games record?

Kurtis Marschall adds the perfect exclamation mark to his title defence, clearing 5.85m on his second attempt to set a new Commonwealth Games record in the men's pole vault. Having already secured back-to-back gold medals, the Australian produced one final moment of brilliance to erase compatriot Steven Hooker's long-standing mark. After the successful clearance, Marschall signals that his work is done, ending a dominant evening in style. A championship record, a second consecutive Commonwealth crown, and a spectacular finale to the athletics competition at Glasgow 2026.