Ranchi
Indian athletics witnessed a landmark day at the National Athletics Federation Cup as three national records tumbled in the men’s events, with sprinter Gurindervir Singh, quarter-miler Vishal T K and decathlete Tejaswin Shankar producing extraordinary performances.
The trio etched their names into the record books with stunning displays that highlighted the growing depth and quality of Indian track and field. While Gurindervir and Tejaswin also secured qualification for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Vishal became the first Indian ever to break the 45-second barrier in the men’s 400 metres.
Gurindervir, representing Reliance, clocked a sensational 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m final, bettering the previous national record of 10.15 seconds set just a day earlier by Animesh Kujur. The 25-year-old from Punjab not only qualified for the Commonwealth Games by surpassing the Athletics Federation of India’s qualifying mark of 10.16 seconds but also became the second-fastest Asian sprinter this season, trailing only Japan’s Fukuto Komuro, who has clocked 10.08 seconds.
After crossing the finish line, Gurindervir celebrated by revealing a message written beneath his bib: “Task is not finished yet. Wait I am still standing. 10.10!”
In the men’s 400m, Vishal delivered another historic moment by winning in 44.98 seconds, improving upon his previous national record of 45.12 seconds. Although he narrowly missed the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 44.96 seconds, his performance marked the first sub-45-second run by an Indian athlete in the event.
The race also featured fellow Tamil Nadu runner Rajesh Ramesh, who finished second in 45.31 seconds.
Meanwhile, Tejaswin achieved a major milestone in the decathlon by becoming the first Indian to cross the 8,000-point mark. His tally of 8,057 points eclipsed his previous national record of 7,826 points and comfortably exceeded the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 7,787 points.
The versatile athlete improved his personal bests in the 100m, 400m and 1,500m events, overcoming a below-par javelin throw performance to complete a memorable achievement.
The remarkable feats by Gurindervir, Vishal and Tejaswin underline Indian athletics’ upward trajectory and provide fresh optimism ahead of major international competitions in the coming years.