With his sights set on success at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, Animesh Kujur is not preoccupied with the title of fastest man in India. He believes that his achievements on the international stage will ultimately define his capabilities.

Kujur has expressed strong confidence in breaking the 10-second barrier in the 100m race. Under the guidance of coach Martin Owens and the Reliance Foundation program, he has honed his talent utilizing top-notch facilities and support.

Owens noted that Gurindervir Singh’s national record has significantly raised the standards of Indian sprinting, fostering a competitive environment that encourages athletes to achieve sub-10 and sub-20 performances.

Participating in international races has enhanced Kujur’s technical abilities and self-assurance as he aims for improvements in both the 100m and his preferred 200m events.

Kujur is not worried about losing the title of India’s fastest man to Gurindervir Singh. Instead, he is eager for his performances at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games to speak for him. After Gurindervir’s historic run under 10.10 seconds set a new national record in the men’s 100m earlier this year in Odisha, Kujur has faced inquiries about reclaiming that title, but he prefers to focus on the upcoming events.

“Just waiting for Asian Games,” Kujur stated when asked about regaining the title.

When further questioned, he smiled and replied, “Yeah, just wait till the Asian Games. Then we’ll talk again.” This composed attitude reflects the 22-year-old’s emergence as a promising talent in Indian sprinting under British coach Martin Owens.

The partnership between Kujur and Owens began during the Under-23 National Championships, inspired by the accomplishments of Reliance Foundation athletes Amlan Borgohain and Jyothi Yarraji. Kujur expressed his interest in joining the program after witnessing their progress.

“I had started searching about Reliance and the athletes there. I came to know about Amlan and Jyothi Didi. I saw coach Martin wearing the Reliance T-shirt. My coach asked me whether I wanted to join Reliance after seeing my race, and I said yes. From that day, we have been working together,” Kujur recounted.

Owens humorously added, “The true story is that he came and pestered me and begged and begged and begged me to coach him. But obviously, he thought I was James. He got the wrong coach.” Behind the humor lies a firm belief in Kujur’s potential.

Owens noted, “He ran 21.1 and you could see he was really tight and very raw. If we could just polish that a bit, he was going to run fast. Every day and every week we try to get a little bit better. He’s ambitious, which is very good, and we’re always striving to be the best we can.”

Owens attributed Kujur’s development to India’s advancing high-performance ecosystem, highlighting the excellent facilities in Odisha and the solid support from Reliance.

As for the competition, Owens dismissed any concerns about rivalry becoming negative after Gurindervir’s record-setting performance. He said, “I think what you’ve got to realize is we’re really pleased that Guri’s running that fast. Psychologically, running 10.0 has made such a difference to Indian sprinting. Congratulations to Guri and his coaching team. We want a healthy rivalry. That’s what we want. We don’t want a destructive rivalry. We’re as happy as anybody else that he’s running that fast.”

Owens believes that Indian sprinting is at a pivotal moment. “Four years ago, everybody was saying breaking 10 seconds was impossible. Now it’s about when. Guri, Mani, and Pranav are all pushing the standards up. You can’t be complacent anymore. We’ve got a really good crop of young sprinters coming through, and they all believe they can be the first to break 10 or 20 seconds. That’s good. We need that swagger.” He is certain that the sprinting revolution in India is just beginning.

Kujur shared that competing internationally has accelerated his growth. “When I race faster athletes, I know exactly where I stand. In India, especially over 200 meters, I’m usually ahead from the start. That’s why competing in Europe is important. I learn what I need to improve technically and then work on it in training.”

Rather than feeling daunted by large crowds, Kujur finds motivation in the atmosphere. “People think athletes get scared in front of huge crowds, but I feel excited. Even at the World Championships, I wasn’t under pressure. I was excited because I was racing against the best and wanted to show what I could do.”

His experiences abroad have also contributed to his overall growth. “This year I traveled alone, competed by myself in Germany, and even set my personal best there. Every trip teaches me something about how to travel, how to compete, and how to handle pressure. I’ll try to implement all those learnings at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.”

Kujur mentioned that relay commitments have limited his opportunities in the 200m this season, noting, “We haven’t had many 200-meter races this year. I only got one in Taiwan, and because of the rain, I only ran the heats. I want more quality races over 200 meters and improve there the same way I’ve improved in the 100.”

Owens acknowledged that the World Relays and Asian Relays had impacted Kujur’s 200m schedule but affirmed, “The Commonwealth Games will be good and then the Asian Games will be super good.”