India Just Found Its Fastest Man — This 22-YO Shattered the National 100m Record!

On 6 July 2025, at a stadium in Vari, Greece, Animesh Kujur ran 100 metres in 10.18 seconds — breaking the national record and becoming India’s fastest man.

That single race placed him in the record books, ahead of all the Indian sprinters who came before him — becoming the first from the country to dip below 10.20 seconds.

It wasn’t a record many expected from a boy growing up in Chhattisgarh who had never planned to become a sprinter. Just five years ago, Animesh was playing football in school and jogging during lockdown to stay fit.

One day, someone suggested he try out a local athletics meet. He didn’t know it was a national-level qualifier but went anyway. And his timing surprised everyone.

The reaction made him pause and think: Maybe this wasn’t just a one-time thing. In 2021, he ran at the nationals and stood fifth in both 100m and 200m. That was enough to convince him to keep going.

But self-belief wasn’t enough. His mother was worried about the risks that came with pursuing sports — injuries, and a lack of stability. So she asked him to quit.

He didn’t push back right away. But in 2022, he sat down one night with his uncle and father to talk it through. His uncle said, “Let him try. I’m with him.” That one sentence tipped the balance.

With their support, Animesh stayed in the game. Soon after, he began training at the Odisha Reliance Foundation Centre under coach Martin Owens.

Coach Owens noticed right away that Animesh had raw speed but lacked technique. They worked on his start, running curve, posture, and even his sleep routine.

By April 2025, Animesh was racing regularly. At the Indian Open in Chennai, he ran four races in one day. The heat was so harsh, he suffered heatstroke both before and after the events.

Just five days later, still recovering, he travelled to Kochi for the Federation Cup. Even at less than full strength, he clocked 20.40 seconds in the 200m — a new national record.

In May 2025, he went one step further. At the Asian Athletics Championships, he ran 20.32 and won bronze in the 200m — his first international medal for India.

Earlier this year, he also helped set a new national record in the 4x100m relay alongside Gurindervir Singh, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Amlan Borgohain. They had trained together only once before that race.

Coach Owens always believed that racing with faster athletes would bring out the best in him. “If you’ve already outrun everyone halfway through, why push harder?” he explained.

That mindset changed Animesh’s approach. Even when he won, he checked the timings more closely than the medal. Every second began to matter.

Now, he often finishes races with Usain Bolt’s lightning pose. “When I got into athletics, Bolt was the only name I knew,” he told TOI. “I saw him and thought — tall, lanky, kind of like me.”

That pose is a reminder of how far he’s come and how much further he still wants to go. Today, he’s aiming for faster times, bigger races, and the Indian anthem on the podium.