Sprinter Animesh Kujur etched his name into Indian athletics history last Saturday by becoming the fastest man in the country. Competing at an event in Greece, the 22-year-old clocked an astonishing 10.18 seconds in the men’s 100 metres, breaking the previous national record and becoming the first Indian to run sub-10.2 seconds.
Kujur’s timing not only surpassed the national mark but also placed him closer to the elite global sprinters' bracket. The previous national record was 10.26 seconds, held by Amiya Kumar Mallick. His performance in Greece has ignited hope of India's growing presence in international sprint events.
Kujur's blistering run is a product of focused training, improved infrastructure, and India’s rising investment in track and field. His next goal is to breach the 10-second barrier - long considered the ultimate benchmark in sprinting.
With the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification window extended, Kujur’s form could potentially make him a dark horse for the world stage. His record-breaking sprint is being hailed as a turning point for Indian athletics.
