Indian sprinting witnessed a historic two-day battle in Ranchi as Gurindervir Singh rewrote the men’s 100m national record twice during the Federation Cup Athletics Championships. After first briefly holding the record on Friday, Gurindervir returned on Saturday with a sensational 10.09-second sprint to become the first Indian ever to breach the 10.10 barrier.
The Punjab sprinter clocked the historic timing in the final of the men’s 100m event on May 23, reclaiming the national record from Animesh Kujur and also sealing qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
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The dramatic finish came just 24 hours after Gurindervir and Kujur had already exchanged national records during the semifinal heats, producing one of the most exciting sprint rivalries Indian athletics has witnessed in recent years.
On Saturday, Kujur finished second with a timing of 10.20 seconds, while Pranav Promod completed the podium after clocking 10.29 seconds.
The Federation Cup in Ranchi also served as a qualification event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding even more significance to the battle between the country’s fastest sprinters.
A RECORD BATTLE FT GURINDERVIR vs ANIMESH
The chaos around the national record had actually begun a day earlier during the semifinal heats on May 22.
Gurindervir initially broke Animesh Kujur’s previous national record of 10.18 seconds by clocking 10.17 seconds in the opening semifinal heat. For a few minutes, Gurindervir stood as India’s fastest-ever man over 100 metres.
But the celebrations barely lasted.
In the very next semifinal heat, Odisha sprinter Animesh Kujur responded immediately with a stunning 10.15-second run to reclaim the national record and officially breach the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 10.16 seconds.
While Animesh secured CWG qualification on Friday itself, Gurindervir had narrowly missed the mark by just 0.01 seconds with his 10.17 timing.
However, the Punjab sprinter returned in emphatic fashion during Saturday’s final and completely shattered the barrier with his 10.09-second sprint.
In doing so, Gurindervir not only reclaimed the national record but also became the first Indian athlete to officially run below 10.10 seconds in the men’s 100m category.
NEW RIVALRY EMERGES IN INDIAN SPRINTING
The performances from Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur over the last two days have now created what could become Indian athletics’ defining sprint rivalry heading into the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games cycle.
Both athletes train under coach James Hillier and also compete in the 200m category, with their rivalry now pushing Indian sprinting into completely new territory.
For years, Indian athletics had waited for a sprinter to finally break the symbolic 10.10-second barrier.
In Ranchi, that barrier did not just fall, it was shattered twice in two unforgettable days.
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