Indian sprinter Gurindervir Singh created history at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Stadium by becoming the first Indian to run the 100m in under 10.10 seconds

Indian athletics witnessed a landmark moment on Saturday after Gurindervir Singh clocked 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m final at the Senior Federation Cup in Ranchi, rewriting the national record books and setting a new benchmark for sprinting in the country.

The 25-year-old Punjab sprinter achieved the feat at Birsa Munda Stadium, becoming the first Indian athlete to breach the 10.10-second barrier in the blue-riband event. The timing also pushed him to the second-fastest mark in Asia this season, only 0.01 seconds behind Japan’s Fukuto Komuro.

Historic Sprint Moment

As Gurindervir crossed the finish line, the emotion of the moment was visible. He tore off his bib number, shouted in celebration and flung his spikes onto the track, soaking in what had just unfolded before a packed stadium.

For Indian athletics, the significance went beyond a national record. Sprinting has traditionally been an area where Indian athletes struggled to match global standards, especially in the men’s 100m event.

Speaking after the race, Gurindervir said he wanted to challenge the perception surrounding Indian sprinters.

“People used to say Indians do not have the genes for 100 metres. I wanted to prove them wrong,” he said after the event.

Record Broken Twice

The drama had actually started a day earlier. On Friday, Gurindervir first lowered the national record to 10.17 seconds during the semifinal heats, surpassing the earlier mark of 10.18 seconds held by Animesh Kujur.

Barely five minutes later, Animesh reclaimed the record with a 10.15-second run in another semifinal heat, setting up a tense final between the two sprinters.

But the final turned into a one-sided finish. Gurindervir stormed ahead in the closing metres and finished around two feet clear of Animesh, who settled for second place. Pranav Gurav finished third with a timing of 10.29 seconds.

Officials at the venue described the sequence as one of the most dramatic sprint contests seen in recent Indian athletics competitions.

Commonwealth Qualification Secured

The 10.09-second effort also helped Gurindervir comfortably cross the qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, set at 10.16 seconds.

Athletics experts believe the timing could significantly boost India’s profile in Asian sprinting events ahead of upcoming international competitions.

Sources familiar with the Indian athletics circuit said Gurindervir’s progress over the last few seasons has been closely linked to improved training exposure and better support systems.

Move From Punjab

Born in Patial village in Punjab’s Jalandhar district, Gurindervir began athletics at a very young age. His father, Kamaljit Singh, was a former volleyball player and also served in Punjab Police.

He trained under coach Sarvan Singh during his school years before later working with coach Sarabjit Singh Happy in Jalandhar. Gurindervir steadily climbed through junior competitions, winning medals at Youth Asian and Junior Asian events while also breaking age-group national records.

During the COVID-19 period, training disruptions threatened to slow his progress. However, his coaches continued preparations despite limited resources.

A major turning point came when he shifted from Punjab to Mumbai to train under the Reliance Foundation setup. Gurindervir had earlier spoken about the difference in facilities, saying the support structure and nutrition available in Mumbai helped him improve significantly.

According to people associated with his training, the access to better recovery systems, coaching and competition exposure played a key role in his latest breakthrough.

Another Record In Ranchi

Saturday also saw another major achievement in Indian athletics. Vishal broke his own national record in the men’s 400m race by clocking 44.98 seconds, becoming the first Indian to go below the 45-second mark.

His timing is currently the fastest in Asia this season.

Punjab CM Congratulates

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann congratulated Gurindervir on social media, calling the achievement a proud moment for the state and Indian athletics.

The record-breaking run has now placed Gurindervir Singh firmly among Asia’s top sprinters, with attention shifting towards upcoming international events where the Indian athlete will look to build on his historic 10.09-second performance.