India’s fastest man, Animesh Kujur, is redefining his race strategy to shave crucial milliseconds, focusing on a powerful start and fine-tuning his technique after recent record-breaking runs.
Chasing Milliseconds Across Continents
Animesh Kujur has been on an incredible record-breaking streak. He helped his team smash the 4x100m national record and individually broke the 200m national record twice. Earlier this month, he added the 100m national record to his achievements.
Despite these triumphs, the 22-year-old sprinter knows every millisecond counts. To get even faster, he and his coach, Martin Owens, recently moved their training base to Europe.
The move quickly paid off. In Geneva, Animesh clocked an astonishing 20.27 seconds in the 200m, the fastest time ever by an Indian, though it wasn’t officially recorded due to wind assistance. Days later, in Athens, he shattered the 100m national record with a time of 10.18 seconds, a remarkable feat in his first international 100m race.
However, it was a fifth-place finish at the Under-23 Monaco Diamond League that offered a true reality check. Lining up against Australian prodigy Gout Gout, Animesh finished in 20.55s while Gout Gout won with 20.10s. This race highlighted areas for improvement.
Rebuilding the Start
Coach Owens observed that Gout Gout was quicker in every 10-meter split, especially during the initial acceleration. To bridge this gap, the duo moved to the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre in Magglingen, a training hub for Europe’s elite athletes.
Their first focus, under strength and conditioning coach Chris Wolley, was Animesh’s start. At 6 feet 2 inches, Animesh is relatively tall for a sprinter, and a powerful launch from the blocks has often been a challenge.
Animesh made a significant adjustment to his starting blocks, angling them slightly inward. This small change has led to a much better takeoff. Wolley also worked on his body mechanics, helping him achieve a more explosive start.
Owens emphasized that these initial strides are crucial. They don’t just contribute to speed but also set him up mechanically for the rest of the race.
Tackling Tightness and Leveraging Tech
Beyond the start, Animesh also needed to address hamstring and lower back tightness, which can hinder speed. Chris Wolley conducted a thorough assessment, identifying these tight areas as contributors to his less-than-optimal start and acceleration.
Wolley introduced specific exercises, such as dynamic hamstring leg swings and the cat-cow stretch, to loosen him up. Animesh performed these for a week and quickly noticed subtle but significant improvements, shaving 0.05 to 0.1 seconds off his start time.
The cutting-edge equipment at the Swiss Olympic Centre, like the 1080 sprint and Kaiser gears, provided invaluable feedback. These machines offered resistance and assistance training, giving detailed insights into each step and aiding further technical refinement.
The Sprint Double Play
Animesh currently holds national records in both the 100m (10.18s) and 200m (20.32s). While the 200m has always been his preferred event, he sees the 100m as a crucial tool.
“I just do the 100m for explosive starts because if I implement the 100m start in the 200m, it immediately improves my timing,” he explained. While both are sprints, the 100m is pure power, whereas the 200m demands speed and endurance, especially through the curve.
Coach Owens believes running both events creates a synergistic effect: the 100m enhances explosive starts for the 200m, and the endurance from the 200m helps him finish stronger in the 100m.
- Animesh Kujur is India’s fastest man, holding national records in 100m and 200m.
- He moved to Europe to fine-tune his technique, focusing on the crucial first two strides.
- Working with coaches, he adjusted his starting block angle and addressed physical tightness.
- He uses advanced equipment for precise feedback and continuous improvement.
- Running both 100m and 200m helps him develop both explosive power and endurance.
Animesh’s next challenge is the World Athletics Continental Tour Event in Bhubaneswar on August 10. His ultimate goal remains clear: to achieve direct qualification for the World Championships.
