Kavinraja S, India’s rising pole vault talent and 2025 U20 Federation Cup champion, faced a major travel ordeal after competing in Bhubaneswar. Despite winning gold in the U20 category at the indoor nationals, his return journey turned chaotic. In a viral video posted by NNIS Sports, the 19-year-old was stranded for over 12 hours at Rajahmundry railway station with his equipment.
He and fellow athletes were forced to tie their pole vault equipment outside near the windows after finding no space onboard. The poles are long and flexible meaning it could not have fit inside the coach.
'Ropes cut, athletes forced to pull chain'
Initially, there were no objections from railway staff, and the journey seemed manageable. However, things spiralled mid-way when the ropes securing the poles were allegedly cut while the train was in motion. Alert athletes noticed the danger just in time, prompting an emergency chain pull to halt the train and prevent the equipment from being lost.
What followed was hours of chaos, uncertainty and delay, with Kavinraja and others left stranded, guarding the very equipment crucial to their careers. The episode has since gained traction online, with many questioning how a national-level athlete returning from a gold-winning performance could be left to navigate such conditions.
Pole vault poles typically cost between ₹17,000 and ₹45,000+ per pole in India, depending on material, length, and brand. Professional-grade or specialized poles from manufacturers like UCS can exceed ₹1,00,000, while basic training poles start lower
Who is Kavinraja?
Kavinraja, who is from Salem in Tamil Nadu, is one of India’s rising pole vault athletes. He regularly clears around the 5-metre mark and has been performing well in national events.
At the U-20 Federation Cup 2026, he cleared 5.12m, breaking his own meet record. He also tried 5.21m, which would have equalled the national U-20 record. He has already achieved the qualification standards for both Asian and World U-20 competitions.
However, this time he is in the news not for his performance, but for a difficult travel experience. His journey after the event turned into a major problem, highlighting the lack of proper facilities for athletes carrying special equipment. What should have been a simple trip became a frustrating situation that is now going viral.
