R. Yugendran: A pole vaulter by day and a waiter by night

In May this year, at the Indian Grand Prix II, Pole vaulter R. Yugendran cleared 5.20 meters to register a new meet record on the night.

Five months later, his career hangs in the balance.

“I might have to quit the sport if sponsorship doesn’t come through,” he tells this writer.

At just 21 years of age, Yugendran is one of India's leading pole vaulters.

And yet, clearing the bar is the least of his worries. Instead, making everyday ends meet is.

A workhorse

Yugendran’s day begins rather early, at 4:30am.

He cooks his own meals to maintain his diet before heading to Chennai’s Nehru Stadium for practice.

His training sessions run from 6am to 10am, after which he returns to his room by noon.

In the evenings, he practices again at 5pm, provided he doesn’t have server duties at a hotel, a job that he has had to take up to supplement his on-track aspirations.

On days when he does have work, he squeezes in a gym session before heading straight to his job.

“I study at Madras Christian College and live in a hostel. Since the hostel food doesn’t suit my diet, I cook for myself,” he says.

Yugendran’s journey in athletics began in ninth grade, inspired by a friend of his brother.

He initially ran the 400 meters but later switched to pole vaulting after being encouraged by a senior athlete.

“I told my 400m coach that I wanted to switch to pole vaulting, and he introduced me to coach Don Wilcox,” he recalls.

While the moment was pivotal, the switch came with its own challenges.

A single pole can cost around INR 1,40,000, but Yugendran's coach, Don, supported him by providing equipment.

“It was tough for the first four years. Everyone kept telling me to switch to other sports, but I remained determined,” he reflects.

Tragically, coach Don passed away during the pandemic, but his son Gerald, a Deaflympics silver medalist, continued training Yugendran, helping him improve steadily.

“With Gerald’s guidance, I cleared 4 meters, then 4.40, 4.80, 5 meters, and finally 5.20.”

In May, after setting the record at the IGP II in Chennai, Yugendran continued his success, winning two gold medals in back-to-back competitions.

“I cleared 5.16 meters at the Tamil Nadu Senior State Meet, surpassing the previous record of 5.15 meters right after the Grand Prix. This was followed by a gold medal at the Interstate Meet in Panchkula, where I cleared 5 meters,” he states with pride.

Navigating injury and financial strife

The motivation is written large on Yugendran face.

Staring at him in the face, however, is the reality of competitive athletics.

Travel is must and with it comes expenditures.

“When I travel for events, I often have to compromise on food to afford flights and accommodation,” he explains.

He’s had to miss several federation competitions due to lack of funds.

Participating at the IGP event was a bonus as it took place in Chennai.

To cover his nutrition needs in the run up to competitions, he has turned to loan apps.

“I took out a ₹10,000 loan through fintech loan apps but I eventually hit the limit. This loan I used for protein supplements,” he explains.

Yugendran is aiming to break the national record of 5.31m, set by Siva Subramanian in the 2022 National Games.

“I aimed to break Siva Anna's (brother) record in the IGP event itself but couldn’t quite manage it,” he admits.

However, his biggest concern about not reaching his goals is a nagging shoulder injury that directly affects his performance.

“My right shoulder, which I use to push off the ground, is injured,” he explains, highlighting an urgent need for rehabilitation.

He now actively seeks support to cover his medical expenses.

“The costs of treatment are significant, ranging from INR 1,000 to INR 1,500 per session, with 30 sessions required. It’s a huge expense, especially given my family’s financial situation,” he laments.

“Injuries here are serious. If you fall wrong, it could be your ankle, your hand, or worse, and no one is there to help us.”

Unlike other athletes in the long jump or high jump with access to injury care, he feels the lack of a support system in the pole vault discipline.

“We’re doing our best, but there’s no support system,” he laments.

Yugendran's family background adds another layer of complexity to his situation.

Having lost his father, his mother works as a sweeper in a private company. His brother, meanwhile, manages the household expenses by working at a photocopying shop.

“When I was in school, my mother would wake up at 3:30 AM to cook for us before heading to work, and she still does that to this day,” he shares, expressing gratitude for her sacrifices.

With age catching up, Yugendran’s mother has urged him to find a job if his athletics career doesn’t progress.

The pressure is on him and the clock is ticking.

‘I’m confident’

Despite the struggles, Yugendran remains hopeful.

“If I can secure a sponsor, I’ll be ready to compete,” he mentions, actively reaching out to seniors in the sports community for assistance.

He believes many pole vaulters in India, including himself, can clear heights of 5.60 meters with the right support.

“I’m able to clear 5.30 meters in training now, and with the right support system, I’m confident I can surpass 5.40 meters and qualify for the Asian Athletics Championship next year in Korea, where the qualification mark is 5.40 meters,” he says.

Yugendran, a big fan of Sergey Bubka, the first pole vaulter to clear 6 and 6.10 meters, aspires to be consistent like him.

“The one thing that I lack is my consistency owing to my poor diet and family situation, I admire Sergey’s consistency a lot and I want to be like him, if my difficulties get resolved,” he concludes.