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Indian sprinter Animesh Kujur broke the national record for the men’s 100m just minutes after Gurindervir Singh had briefly set a new mark at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition on Friday, May 22. The rapid exchange of records also meant that Animesh has now officially secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Representing Odisha, Animesh bettered the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 10.16 seconds set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), underlining his rise in Indian sprinting.
Earlier in the day, Gurindervir Singh had first broken Animesh Kujur’s 10-month-old national record of 10.18 seconds, clocking 10.17 seconds in the opening semi-final heat. However, the new record stood only for a few minutes, as Animesh responded in the very next heat with a timing of 10.15 seconds to reclaim the national record.
A sensational evening at the Federation Cup saw Indian athletics history rewritten twice in quick succession, setting up an exciting rivalry in the men’s 100m sprint. The battle between Gurindervir and Animesh has now emerged as one of the most closely watched storylines in Indian athletics, with both sprinters pushing each other to new heights.
Both athletes will meet again in the final of the men’s 100m, scheduled for 7:10 pm on Saturday, May 23. With momentum shifting between them, anticipation is high for another high-intensity showdown between the country’s two fastest sprinters.
STRONG PERFORMANCES ACROSS EVENTS
The Federation Cup also witnessed a notable performance in the women’s long jump, where Ancy Sojan registered a new personal best of 6.75m. The jump brings her closer to the Commonwealth Games qualification mark of 6.84m, as she continues her pursuit of consistency at the elite level. She is also inching towards the national record of 6.83m while targeting the qualifying standard.
In the morning session, Deepak Bhatt of Uttarakhand won the men’s 10,000m race with a timing of 29:42.93, which was relatively modest compared to international standards.
Karnataka’s Shivaji M reportedly struggled during the demanding race under hot conditions and had to be assisted by team coaches after showing signs of dehydration, highlighting the tough environmental conditions faced by athletes during the event.
In the women’s 10,000m, Ravina Gayakwad of Maharashtra clinched the title with a timing of 35:30.98, which remains significantly below the Commonwealth Games qualification mark of 31:14.14, underlining the gap that still exists in endurance standards at the national level.
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