Odia sprinter Animesh Kujur rewrites history with fastest timing abroad

Odisha born sprinter Animesh Kujur secured the fastest timing by an Indian runner on foreign soil during a stellar performance in Germany. Competing in the final of the Puma Fast Arms and Fast Leg event in Wetzlar, Kujur clocked a personal best of 10.14 seconds to finish second. This historic achievement places him right behind Gurindervir Singh, who holds the national record of 10.09 seconds.

His remarkable performance adds to the rich legacy of sports talent emerging from Odisha, a state that has consistently invested in world-class athletic infrastructure and high-performance training centers over the recent decade. Kujur entered the German tournament primarily focused on the 200m category. However, his performance in the 100m heats already showed immense promise when he registered 10.19 seconds earlier in the day.

Historic Track Performance in Wetzlar

The Wetzlar meet serves as a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger-level competition, drawing top global talent. During the final race, the Indian athlete demonstrated explosive acceleration straight from the starting blocks, showing great composure under pressure. He sustained high velocity through the finish line to claim the second position overall. South Africa's under-eighteen world champion Retshidisitswe Mlenga secured the top spot with a time of 10.03 seconds. This breakthrough continues a trend of rapid improvement for Indian sprinting. During the recent Federation Cup in Ranchi, the intense rivalry between Gurindervir and Kujur pushed both athletes to lower records multiple times within twenty-four hours.

Kujur has already sealed his berth in the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games. He will represent the nation in both the 100m and 200m track events. To fine-tune his form, the talented athlete will now travel to an elite training camp in Spala, Poland. He plans to join his fellow national squad members there before flying directly to Glasgow for the global tournament.