Animesh Kujur clocks India's 2nd-fastest 100m, fastest on foreign soil
Synopsis
Animesh Kujur ran 10.14 seconds in Wetzlar — the fastest 100m ever by an Indian abroad and second only to Gurindervir Singh's 10.09s national record. He now holds three of India's five all-time fastest 100m marks, all while already having locked down his Asian Games 200m berth. A sprinter peaking at exactly the right moment.
Key Takeaways
Animesh Kujur clocked 10.14 seconds at the PUMA Fast Arms Fast Legs 2026 meet in Wetzlar on 11 July 2026 .
The time is the fastest 100m ever run by an Indian on foreign soil and the second-fastest by an Indian overall , behind Gurindervir Singh's 10.09s .
Kujur now owns three of the five fastest 100m times in Indian athletics history.
He had earlier secured Asian Games 200m qualification with a 20.74s run at the Inter-State National Athletics Championships in June, inside the AFI standard of 20.88s .
His personal best and national record in the 200m stands at 20.32 seconds .
Coach Martin Owens noted the focus at the Inter-State meet was qualification, not time, after a heavy travel schedule.
Animesh Kujur clocked a personal best 10.14 seconds to finish second in the men's 100m final at the PUMA Fast Arms Fast Legs 2026 meet in Wetzlar on Saturday, 11 July 2026, recording the fastest 100m time ever run by an Indian on foreign soil and the second-fastest by an Indian overall. The Odisha sprinter, already India's national 200m record holder, continues to cement his place among the country's all-time fastest.
The Record-Breaking Run
Kujur had signalled his sharpness earlier in the day by winning his heat in 10.19 seconds. In the final, he improved further, shaving one hundredth of a second off his previous personal best of 10.15 seconds. His 10.14s clocking is surpassed among Indians only by Gurindervir Singh's national-leading 10.09 seconds.
Notably, Kujur now owns three of the five fastest 100m times ever recorded by an Indian. The all-time list currently reads: Gurindervir Singh (10.09s), Animesh Kujur (10.14s), Animesh Kujur (10.15s), Gurindervir Singh (10.17s), and Animesh Kujur (10.18s). This is the third time in a single season that he has featured prominently in India's 100m record books.
Asian Games Qualification Already Secured
The Wetzlar performance comes on the back of a productive domestic outing. At the Inter-State National Athletics Championships in June, Kujur clocked 20.74 seconds in the 200m — comfortably inside the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) qualifying standard of 20.88 seconds — to secure his berth for the Asian Games 200m.
Despite clearing the standard with room to spare, Kujur was candid about his mindset. 'Honestly, I was not here for timing. The idea was to secure the qualification mark for the Asian Games. Since I have got it now, I will focus on improving before the Asian Games,' he said after the race. His personal best in the 200m remains the national record of 20.32 seconds.
Coach's Perspective and Season Context
Kujur's coach, Martin Owens, noted that a demanding travel schedule ahead of the Inter-State Championships had shifted the focus to qualification rather than time-chasing. The sprinter had also played a key role in India's bronze medal finish in the mixed 4x100m relay at the Asian Relay Championships, adding to what has been a packed competitive calendar.
Although Kujur has consistently described the 200m as his preferred event, the bulk of his headline improvements over the past year have come in the 100m. Since setting the national 200m record in May 2025, he has gone below 20.50 seconds only once in the longer sprint. In contrast, he twice lowered the Indian 100m record before Gurindervir Singh reclaimed the top spot with his 10.09s national best.
What This Means Ahead of the Asian Games
Kujur's latest run underlines a sprinter operating at a career-high level across both sprint disciplines simultaneously — a rare achievement in Indian athletics. With the Asian Games on the horizon, his trajectory in the 100m raises the possibility of a dual-event campaign, even as the 200m remains his primary focus. All eyes will now be on whether he can close the gap on Gurindervir Singh's national mark before the Games.
Point of View
India's sub-10.20 club was a one-man show; now a second sprinter is consistently threatening that ceiling. The more intriguing question is whether his 100m surge is coming at the cost of his 200m ceiling: since his national record of 20.32s in May 2025, he has rarely threatened that mark. His coach's admission that qualification — not time — was the Inter-State goal suggests deliberate periodisation, but the Asian Games will demand both. India's sprinting depth is real, but converting it into medals at the continental level remains the unfinished business.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Animesh Kujur set in Wetzlar?
Animesh Kujur clocked 10.14 seconds at the PUMA Fast Arms Fast Legs 2026 meet in Wetzlar on 11 July 2026, setting the fastest 100m time ever run by an Indian on foreign soil. It is also the second-fastest 100m by any Indian, behind Gurindervir Singh's national record of 10.09 seconds.
Who holds the Indian 100m national record?
Gurindervir Singh holds the Indian 100m national record at 10.09 seconds. Animesh Kujur is second on the all-time list with his new personal best of 10.14 seconds, and he also occupies the third and fifth spots on that list.
Has Animesh Kujur qualified for the Asian Games?
Yes, Kujur secured his Asian Games 200m qualification at the Inter-State National Athletics Championships in June, clocking 20.74 seconds — inside the AFI qualifying standard of 20.88 seconds. He has said his focus will now shift to improving his times before the Games.
What is Animesh Kujur's personal best in the 200m?
Kujur's personal best in the 200m is 20.32 seconds, which is also the Indian national record. He set it in May 2025.
What role did Animesh Kujur play at the Asian Relay Championships?
Kujur was a key member of the Indian team that won a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m relay at the Asian Relay Championships, adding a team medal to his growing list of individual achievements this season.
