“I will qualify for the World Athletics Championship, stop afraid!” Animesh Kujur put his coach Martin Owens while talking in a selected round table from Monaco Diamond League.
If so, Kujur, 22, will do history as the first Indian representative of men in showpiece 100 and 200m sprint at the World Athletics Championship. Kujur was born in CHHHhattisgarh (Ghuitangar) and rewrites the history of Indian routes and fields. He is the fastest man in India, who operated 100m of sprint in 10.18 seconds, breaking the Sub-10.20 barrier, which was previously held by Gurindervir Singh.
At only 22, standing at 6 feet 2 in high high, Kujur is doing big steps. In July, he was to taste his first Diamond League event, where the shoulder went to the shoulder against the Australian miraculous bottom of the bottom, which is already turning the heads in the world of athletics.
The world scenes are shining in Monaco
In Monaco Diamond League, Kujur competed at the U-23 200m event and became the first Indian participant in the Sprint competition. Rather than being amazed by the big scene, he was driven in a pursuit of stage against some of the largest upcoming talents in the world.
Unlocked by attention and undetected by competitors, Kujur ran hard (20,55) but missed the stage Only a tenth of a second, behind South African Africa Jack Naee (20.42 seconds).
This timing is significant. India was rarely observed in first -class sprinting events such as 100 m or 200 m, but Kujur changes this perception. It comes from the eastern border of Chhattisgarh and has left the outgoing records and brings India to an interview. India today photo
While the direct qualification of the World Championship (10.00 at 100 m, 20,16 at 200 m) seems unlikely, Kujur is ready to qualify through the evaluation. Nevertheless, he remains determined to ensure direct qualification, testimony of fire in it.
“Animesh is not motivated by medals or records, they come as side effects. He wants to improve for himself. And therefore coming to the Grand Prix was strange to see the highest athletes do differently, choosing a lifestyle, victim.
Owens believes that the arrival to Diamond League, which will happen around the Olympic champions like Noah Lyles (100 m) and Letsile Tebogo (200 m), was a step for a young athlete.
“I saw Lyles and Tebogo, photographed with them and watched their warm -up routines. I learned so much that I could relate to my own training. The crowd was packed, adrenaline was tall: I just wanted to run,” Kujur said enthusiastically.
Kujur, however, admitted that he was not satisfied with his Monaco performance. His 20.55 was slower than his personal best of 20.32 seconds.
After it was in athletics, the times may be misleading. The race was hit by a strong headwind (-1.9 m/s), which slowed all competitors. In addition, Monaco was the third kujur plant in Europe this season and fatigue took a toll.
“We have already made three competitions in Europe and we have three more.
The beginning of animesh kujur
Before he wiped his shoulders with the Olympic champions, Kujur was far from the world of professional athletics. In fact, during COVID-19 locking, he was not even seriously sprinted. In his early days, he sometimes ran with the army staff near his village Ghitangar – a place without a track, without coaching and no real plan for the production of elite athletes. It was the last place where someone expected a generation talent for sprinting.
But as they say, all great Odysseys start with a single step. It was a simple proposal for the Kujura: “Why don’t you run in a local race?”
As soon as he launched his first race, something clicked. The adrenaline rush changed its view forever.
The story here is a little covered.
“He was a really big boy and begged me to take him to HPC Reliance Foundation (High Performance Center),” Owens rang.
“There’s a fun story. He says I begged him to join, but I say he begged me. So one of us has a better memory,” Owens said, just about how he could get his words out through the belly of laughter.
Under Owens Kujur, he quickly demonstrated his talent by winning the U-23 200 m at his first age group championship. His massive frame led some to suspicion of age fraud, but his raw speed was undeniable.
“He was raw, very raw, so we thought we could do something with him. As soon as he joined HPC, we realized he couldn’t move. He had no extent of movement. So we did a lot of mobility and released it,” Owens recalled.
Why did he persist with Anime, despite the late beginning of his sprinting path? Owens says it was Animesh’s humility that excelled. And that, still yes.
“The second quality is he as a young man, he is incredibly polite, incredibly cautious and incredibly caring for other people. And he is powered by the best that can be,” Owens said.
Interruption of one barrier at a time
This way to be the best that can be in its progress.
According to Owens, the race that put Animesme in the center of attention (2025 National Games), where he filmed 10.28, terrible run.
“He was in phenomenal form at the national games. After a slow start, the field just passed and broke the national record,” Owens said.
Since then, Kujur has shaved 0.10 seconds at the Dromia meeting in Greece and became the fastest Indian living.
Animesh qualifies at the World Championship, needs an animesh 10 -second run in 100 mA 20.16 in 200 m.
How close is he? India today photo
With the right person, in the right conditions, at the right time? Owens believes that any of the top five Indian sprinters can achieve this brand at the moment, especially the mom.
“I will be the happiest man in India when someone breaks 10 seconds, so people will stop asking me”, when will it happen? “Have patience and confidence in this process. Owens said.
Animesh adds to this. It not only adds, but emphasizes it.
“In the national games I was in shape to run under 10, but because of my beginning. I couldn’t. The coach said it would take, we would just keep faith. We will force you to run under 10 at 100 and 20-Below in 200.
Raise
Performance data from Monaco Diamond League shows that Animesh was comparable to generation gout between the 40-130 m brand. In other sections the DNA DNA was slightly faster, maybe just a tenth here and there.
Owens is convinced that targeted training will accelerate Kujur in each segment in the 200m race.
“We want every section more faster. Even the sections in which the animesm corresponded to the bottom, we want it faster. We will work on weaknesses and increase strengths,” Owens said.
And it was perhaps the whole point of exposure in the diamond in Monaco: seeing where Animesh stood among the rising talents in the world. India today photo
Animesh has a busy season ahead. On July 15, he finished second at a silver standard meeting in Luzern and 100m Sprint, which was the best Indian best best Indian best, Gurindervir Singh (10.54) before the next best best Indian best best best Indian best. He will then train in Germany Bochum before returning to India for another meeting, leading to the World Championship.
The fact that neither Sprinter nor the coach was satisfied with Monaco and take one competition after another speaks of growing Indian ambitions in sprinting.
As soon as India has not heard, it now boasts several sprinters focused on the elusive second of the Sub-10, while Kujur leads the package.
When he promotes the wrapped season, one asks what shift in Tokyo made one gold medal in aspirations of Indian athletics. Now sprinters like Kujur dare to dream larger, running not only against time, but to the future, where Indian names already do not exist in sprinting the most amazing stages.
And when this Sub-10 barrier finally seems, it won’t just be a broken record. It will introduce India on the map of world tracks and field events. And whether it is the Kujur, who intersects this line first, or someone who follows in his Slipstream, it will be the moment of birth from faith, built on the victims and carried by the rhythm of the country that learns sprint.
– ends
Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
July 17, 2025
