Sprinter Animesh Kujur has made history by becoming the first Indian to run the 100m in under 10.2 seconds, setting a new national record.
Making History in Greece
Animesh Kujur clocked an incredible 10.18 seconds in the 100m sprint at the Dromia Sprint and Relay Meet in Vari, Greece, on Saturday. This outstanding performance shattered the previous national record of 10.20 seconds, set by Gurindervir Singh just a few months ago.
Starting in Lane 4, Kujur initially trailed the Greek sprinters Theodoros Vrontinos and Sotirios Garagganis. However, in a powerful surge during the final 40 meters, he shifted gears dramatically. Kujur overtook his competitors, crossing the finish line first and etching his name into Indian athletics history.
A Breakthrough Year for Kujur
This record-breaking run marks another milestone in what has been a truly remarkable year for the 22-year-old sprinter. Kujur had already rewritten the national mark in the 200m event not once, but twice, within two months earlier this year.
Before Kujur’s emergence, the 200m national record had only been broken twice in seven years. In April, he set a new 200m record of 20.40 seconds, then improved it to 20.32 seconds in May. This latter timing also helped him secure only the second 200m medal for India at the Asian Championships in almost half a century.
While he ran an even faster 200m time of 20.27 seconds in June at the AthleticGeneve tournament, it wasn’t officially counted as a record due to excessive wind assistance.
The European Advantage
Kujur credits his ongoing European tour for a significant part of his recent improvements. He has previously described a similar tour last year as “life-changing,” highlighting how it exposed him to faster athletes and their training methods.
Training and competing alongside world-class sprinters has pushed him to elevate his own game. He recalled a specific 100m sprint in Finland where competing with a Jamaican sprinter, Oshane Bailey (whose personal best was around 10.05 seconds), forced him to drop his own time from 10.5 seconds to an impressive 10.39 seconds.
This recent improvement of another 0.21 seconds in Greece further solidifies his position as India’s premier sprinter. His consistent progress signals a bright future for Indian athletics on the global stage.
- Animesh Kujur broke the Indian 100m national record with a time of 10.18 seconds.
- He is the first Indian to run the 100m in under 10.2 seconds.
- This year, Kujur also twice broke the 200m national record.
- His European training and competition tours have been crucial to his performance gains.
Kujur’s dedication and recent achievements are a testament to his talent, setting a new benchmark for speed in Indian track and field.
