Animesh Kujur cements his status as India's fastest man with record-shattering performance in Greece

India sprinter Animesh Kujur clinched the 100m national record with a remarkable timing of 10.18 seconds at the Dromia International Sprint and Relays Meeting in Greece on Saturday. The 22-year-old Kujur sprinted in the second heat of the competition and became the first-ever Indian to register a sub-10.20 second timing in 100m. He surpassed Gurinder Singh, who notched 10.20 seconds in the meet at Vari and held the earlier national record in the category. Sotirios Garagganis of Greece (10.23s) and Samuli Samuelsson (10.28s) were placed second and third respectively in the World Athletics Continental Tour silver label meet.

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Animesh Kujur fastest Indian in 100m

Animesh Kujur now holds both the 100m and 200m national records. He finished the 200m final of the Asian Athletics Championships with a record timing of 20.32 records. He created the record in May in South Korea. Ironically, he bettered his own previous national mark of 20.40 seconds created at the Federation Cup earlier this year.

Mohammed Afsal makes history for India

Earlier in the day, Mohammed Afsal made history by becoming the first Indian to break the 1:45-minute barrier in the men’s 800m race, setting a new national record with a time of 1:44.96 minutes at the Memorial Czeslawa Cybulskiego in Poland.

In May, the 29-year-old Afsal recorded 1:45.61s and broke the seven-year-old national record, which was set by Jinson Johnson in 2018, during the UAE Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai. Afsal had finished second in the event.

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Securing the first three positions, Polish runners dominated the 800m race on Saturday. Maciej Wyderka finished first with a timing of 1:44.23s, It is his personal best mark as well as the meet record. Filip Ostrowski (1:44.25s) and Patryk Sieradzki (1:44.56s), finished second and third respectively and also recorded their personal bests.