Animesh Kujur clocks 10.14s, sets fastest Indian 100m on foreign soil

Indian sprinter Animesh Kujur achieved a new milestone by clocking 10.14 seconds in the 100m event at the Puma Fast Arms and Fast Leg meet in Wetzlar, Germany, on Tuesday. This is the fastest time ever recorded by an Indian athlete outside the country.

The event, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger series, saw Kujur finish second overall in the final. His timing also marked a personal best, improving on his previous record. In the heats earlier, he had run 10.19 seconds.

This performance places Kujur second on the all-time Indian 100m list, behind only Gurindervir Singh’s national record of 10.09 seconds, set at the Federation Cup in Ranchi earlier this year. Kujur's time is the best by an Indian on foreign soil, surpassing Singh's mark of 10.16s set in the United States in 2023.

Kujur, primarily a 200m specialist, was competing in Germany for the first time. His strong showing in the 100m event highlights his versatility and growing potential in sprinting. The 23-year-old from Odisha has been a consistent performer on the domestic circuit and is seen as a promising talent for future international competitions.

The meet in Wetzlar attracted athletes from several countries, providing a competitive platform for Kujur to test his skills. His performance adds to India's recent successes in sprint events, which include strong showings at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

With this result, Kujur has set a new benchmark for Indian sprinters competing abroad, demonstrating that Indian athletes can compete at the highest levels. His time of 10.14s is a significant step towards breaking the national record and potentially qualifying for global championships.