Animesh Kujur broke the national record in the 100 metres at the Dromia International Sprint & Relays competition in Greece. This is the first time an Indian sprinter has reached the 10.18-second mark in the event.

Kujur, who already holds the national 200m record, has steadily improved under coach Martin Owens at the Odisha Reliance Foundation High-Performance Centre. Owens concentrated on refining Kujur’s start and bend technique, which were previously weak points in his sprinting. Training with sprinters such as Gurindervir Singh, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Amlan Borgohain has helped Kujur’s improvement by establishing a competitive environment that pushes faster performances.

The 22-year-old from Chhattisgarh switched from football to athletics six years ago and has consistently improved in national and international events. His most recent achievements include breaking the 200m national record in 20.32 seconds and winning a bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championship, his first international appearance in India’s colours.

This latest record in Greece is consistent with the approach of competing in quicker events abroad to improve performance. Animesh Kujur’s continuous growth heralds the beginning of a hopeful age in Indian sprinting.