Animesh Kujur makes History, becomes first Indian Male Sprinter to qualify for Prestigious Tournament

Indian sprinter Animesh Kujur has made history by becoming the first-ever Indian male sprinter to qualify for the World Athletics Championships, set to be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, 2025.

The 22-year-old from Chhattisgarh secured his spot by claiming gold in the men's 200m at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai, clocking an impressive 20.63 seconds.

Kujur's journey is a testament to resilience and hard work. Born in the remote village of Ghuitangar in Chhattisgarh, he has rewritten the national sprinting records, breaking both the 100m (10.18 seconds) and 200m (20.32 seconds) marks this year. His season has also included a bronze at the Asian Athletics Championships and a strong debut at the Monaco Diamond League, where he ran the U-23 200m against some of the world's top young sprinters.

This breakthrough is trailblazing for Indian athletics, long dominated by field events and distance runners. Sprinters have rarely featured on the global sprint stage, making Kujur's qualification momentous. The World Athletics vice-president and former Olympian Adille Sumariwalla reflected on the significance, saying:

"As a sprinter myself, I can tell you he's the best sprinter India has ever produced - by far. We always said we're looking for a six-foot sprinter. We found one. He's got great acceleration... I have no doubt he can run 10 seconds flat. He manages the last part of the race brilliantly. If he gets a better start, I'm confident he'll hit that mark".

Kujur's coach, Martin Owens, praised the magnitude of the achievement and the work behind it:

"I am very happy 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".

For his part, the soft-spoken Kujur keeps his focus forward.

"I want to be around my personal best (20.32 in 200m). I was very, very tired when I was in Europe. We ran in a lot of competitions, and the weather gave me trouble".