Animesh Kujur etched his name into Indian athletics history on Saturday. The 22-year-old from Chhattisgarh not only clinched gold at the men’s 200m at the ongoing National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai, but also became the first-ever Indian male sprinter to confirm his berth at the World Athletics Championships.
Clocking 20.63 seconds, Animesh’s achievement before the biennial event in September in Tokyo marks a watershed moment in Indian athletics.
Growing up in the conflict zones of Bastar and now reaching the global stage, Kujur has come a long way. Raised by athlete parents, his journey began by chance when he participated in a school race. After putting in the hard yards and then later mentored by the UK’s Martin Owens, the Chhattisgarh sprinter has steadily climbed the ranks. Earlier this season, he clocked 10.18s in Greece, making him India’s fastest man in the 100m.
Reflecting on the season, his coach, Martin Owens, said, “I am pleased with the long season. We didn’t expect to break the national record so early in the season. With his win, he has consolidated his place further for the World Championships, and it is a fantastic achievement.”
“It has been a successful season for him. He broke individual national records and was part of the relay team, also. So, I see going to Tokyo as a bonus,” Owens told the media after his gold medal in Chennai.
“There is no expectation on him to perform there. He is going just for the experience, to get a feel for what it’s like to race at the World Championships and rub shoulders with the greats of the game. When he goes next time, then there should be expectations,” he was quoted as saying by theindianexpress.com.
When asked what the plan is before the World Championships, Owens said, “Right now, the plan is to get some rest and probably a one-week camp before the Worlds. We had a good training in Switzerland where we worked on strength and conditioning, so the idea is to keep him fresh when we land in Tokyo.”