Two Days, Two National Records: Gurindervir Becomes India’s Fastest Man

Indian sprinting entered a new era in Ranchi as Gurindervir Singh produced a historic performance.

At the Federation Cup Athletics Championships, breaking the men’s 100m national record twice in two days and becoming the first Indian ever to run below the 10.10-second barrier.

The Punjab sprinter clocked a sensational 10.09 seconds in Saturday’s final, reclaiming the national record from Animesh Kujur and securing qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in the process.

What made the achievement even more remarkable was the dramatic sequence of events that unfolded over the previous 24 hours, with Gurindervir and Animesh repeatedly pushing each other to new national milestones.

Record Changes Hands in Stunning Fashion

The rivalry exploded during the semifinal heats on May 22.

Gurindervir first stunned the field by clocking 10.17 seconds, edging past Animesh Kujur’s existing national mark of 10.18 seconds and briefly becoming India’s fastest-ever man over 100 metres.

But the celebrations barely lasted a few minutes.

In the following semifinal, Odisha sprinter Animesh Kujur responded immediately with an extraordinary 10.15-second run, reclaiming the national record and also achieving the Commonwealth Games qualification standard.

While Animesh walked away as the new record-holder on Friday evening, Gurindervir had narrowly missed the CWG qualification mark by just 0.01 seconds.

Gurindervir Creates History

Saturday’s final, however, belonged entirely to Gurindervir Singh.

Under immense pressure and with national attention fixed on the sprint showdown, the Punjab athlete exploded out of the blocks and produced the race of his career, finishing in 10.09 seconds to create Indian athletics history.

The timing not only earned him the national record once again but also made him the first Indian sprinter to officially breach the symbolic 10.10 barrier in the men’s 100m event.

Animesh Kujur finished second with a strong 10.20-second effort, while Pranav Promod secured third place after clocking 10.29 seconds.

A Rivalry Transforming Indian Sprinting

The Federation Cup in Ranchi doubled as a qualification event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding even greater significance to the performances.

More importantly, the battle between Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur appears to have sparked a rivalry capable of redefining Indian sprinting over the coming years.

Coached by James Hillier, Gurindervir has steadily emerged as one of India’s brightest sprint prospects, while Animesh Kujur, mentored by Martin Owens, has rapidly established himself among the country’s elite speedsters.

For years, Indian athletics had waited for someone to finally challenge the elusive 10.10-second mark.

In Ranchi, that barrier was not just challenged — it was shattered in spectacular fashion across two unforgettable days.