Two days after the buzzing of the continental tour, Animesh Kujur, the fastest Indian man, sat with his coach Martin Owens on the track of Kaling’s stadium in Odisha. After their morning training, they took the time to think about the exhausting season they had just stayed.
Several blistering home competitions throughout India at the beginning of the year, about a month of training and competition in Europe, and then returned home on the continental tour, took its toll on the animum.
Since his return to India, the animesm has been annoyed with annoying cold. In fact, at night before a continental tour in Bhubaneswar, he had to take the medicine to keep in sufficient condition for the race.
In addition to Iffy’s health, the competition brought its own challenges. Animesh admitted that he was angry with the crowd. What if he failed? What would the home audience think if he had a bad day? And what is worse, what if he didn’t mean the medal?
But as angry health around the Kaling stadium, as usual for a favorite home, which won the final of 200 ms of 20.77 seconds. After completing the run, Animesh dipped in the same crowd that felt the daunting only moments before. (Reliance Foundation Photo)
Usain Bolt struck his celebration and took a photo with his family members who first saw him race. Overall, it was an euphoric moment for him.
When the event cakophony gradually disappeared, two days later Animesh was alone again. He was sitting on the same track, now without health and the usual hustle and bustle, he admitted that his timing on a continental tour was not good.
“My body is no longer in a state. I train next to 400 meters of guys, so my body is conditional on running at least 300 meters at the maximum pace.
The calm and empty stands of the Kalinga stadium gave him and Martin Time thought about his performances and thought about lessons obtained from previous events.
Reflection may not be broken by the Earth. As a rule, Animesh ensures that he tells his team at least two things he learned from every event he participates in.
On the Continental tour, he learned how to handle the pressure from the home crowd. In Europe, it was about the absorption of professionalism from elite athletes by watching their processes.
First love
Just before Animesh finished his session with the coach, his physios joked that he was a pretty introverted person. She holds for herself, tends to her plants and likes to watch documentary movies and action movies.
This nature is perhaps a direct result of his education. At a very young age, the Animesm was sent to a boarding school in Kanker in Chhattisgarh, nearly 600 kilometers from home. Sainik School grew up from his parents separate with the dream of becoming a football player.
In his formative years he spoke to his parents mostly during his holidays at home. Even today, Animesme admits that they are trying to get their thoughts on their father, even if they work on it.
“My mom and my dad gave me football when I was five years old. At the time I learned my surroundings, I was sent to a boarding school,” Animesh said today in an exclusive Bhubanesware interview.
“At that time I lit my family. Because I got it, I lived in the dorm. There were 80 children. There was only one fixed line that allowed only incoming calls. Who was lucky to talk to their family for five to ten minutes.
While football was his first love, Animesh gained the first taste of fame when he won five gold medals in a local athletic competition – quite by chance.
“I was at school Sainik, I trained next to the army staff. I was quite tall, which was an advantage. I accepted local news after I won five gold medals. But at that time I didn’t have it seriously about athletics,” he said.
Switch to athletics
Animeshe’s transition to athletics did not happen overnight. While studying in his first year of university, he conducted several interviews with himself how studies and entry to work were not the life he wanted. There was only one roadblock: he hadn’t told his parents yet.
“I think now I’m trying to express my mom and dad’s things. As if I tried to tell them I wanted something … you can buy it for me,” he said.
Things changed just before his semester tests in the first year. Sat with her husband his aunt (Mousa). Animesh confided in him and asked if he would tell his father what he wanted to do.
To his MousaThe idea came as a shock. No one in the family was a professional athlete before, and because of the problem history of Chhattisgarha, there were few idols that could look at – no clear way that would follow.
“My Mousa He asked my father to come to his house, ”Animesh recalled that night.
“It was a shock to me.” Mousa. How could he tell his parents that their son did not want to study or get a job? It must have been difficult for them, ”he added.
Animeshe’s surprise his father agreed – without hesitation.
“My father came the next day and said,” We’re ready. Do it who stops you? Choose your career you want. “I was shocked. Mousa He believed in me. ”
Animesh carries this faith today, almost five years.
On a continental tour Mousa He was present with the whole family, bright with pride when they saw Animesh racing his heart in his adoptive Odisha House.
“The day allowed me; they had to see something in me. We grew up, we didn’t have financial problems or duties. So what did I have to do? Just running.”
“Some mocked me at the time – even with all my family support, you won’t achieve anything; you’ll be shame. These things bite me.”
“I still remember these things, you know. And I still push. Any medals I won are in the past. I always look forward.”
Joining
As soon as he took athletics seriously, Animesh proceeded quickly. It was not a world breeding in any section, but he did well for his native state.
Animesh, a hardworking member of the Z, kept the cards at the Foundation Reliance Foundation through Jyothi Yarraji and Amlan Borgohain. He knew about the Instagram Foundation and sent a report to the director of athletics James Hillier.
“After running in the National Games 2021 (semifinals), I won a medal at the U-23 level. So I wrote James Hillier on Instagram a long news with my history and who I was, but I didn’t get any answer. James saw this message in 2024.
About a year later, however, Animesh found his break. Martin Owens, the current head of the Odisha Reliance High Performance Center, saw Animash to run at the U-23 tournament and was immediately interested.
“I knew about Martin through Amlan Borgohain and Jyothi Yarraji that they were doing a good job. So there was no doubt that I said no. I said yes at the first opportunity,” Animesh said.
Martin now often jokes that Animesh begged him to get into the training program.
Introduction to Reliance was difficult. Doctors Physios and Biomechanics at Sports Science Center today said India that Animesh couldn’t make a full squat when he joined the program. He couldn’t swim – the only thing he knew was how to run fast.
But Martin stuck with him, convinced of Animeš’s talent and paid dividends in the coming years. (Reliance Foundation Photo)
Employees at the Kalinga and Reliance HPC stadium claim that Animesh is one of the most kind people in the program. Behind the intense sprinter there is a soft soul – “pookia” if you like it – which it tends to plants, listens to music and likes to watch documents.
These habits did not come overnight, says Martin Owens. Animesh is a fast student who has lifted these habits in Europe. Martin explains that Animesh is now organized, can not tolerate the litter and is more disciplined.
“He saw athletes at the world’s university games. He said nothing. He raised the garbage and put it in the trash. He wouldn’t have done it six months ago.”
Long way, many records break
Animange’s current best in 100m sprint is 10.18 seconds. His coach is handling that if the initial blocks were in the day in better condition, he would start 10.08.
Much of the teachings of the animesm this season came from Europe, especially from Diamond League. He was the first Indian 200m athlete to participate in the competition, albeit in the U-23 category.
“I learned a lot in Diamond League. Athletes have such an aura there when they go. But no, everything works well.
At its peak, Anish now trains five times a week: three days of running on the track and two days of strength and fitness at the Sports Science Center. He wakes up at 5 am, trains from 6 to 9:30, then he has breakfast.
After breakfast it is usually a swimming pool or gym, followed by an afternoon nap for at least 20 minutes and then back for training. Martin prefers his athletes to sleep and avoid phones after 21 hours
It’s a strict schedule, so if Animesh leaves after this conversation, his face is a bright smile. The introvert is happy in it – now you can relax and have some time for yourself after a long, long season.
When Animesh runs next time, in the interstate and then at the World Athletics Championship, it will be a much more advanced athlete.
The aim of the year 2025 is to provide worldview of how athletics works. With the World Championship (September 2025 in Tokyo) around the corner and larger stages in front in Asian games, Glasgow (both in 2026) and the Los Angeles Olympics (2028) focus on experience, consistency and improvement. He builds a career, one race at a time.
What began as an uncertain shift from football to athletics has grown to a clear path, shaped by faith, structure and quiet determination. Hard work is far from over, but for the fastest Indian man the direction is set.
– ends
Published:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
August 13, 2025
