For decades, Indian athletics has searched for a male sprinter who could break through on the global stage. The women’s side had its share of breakthroughs, from P.T. Usha’s near miss at the 1984 Olympics to Hima Das’s World Junior title in 2018. But among the men, medals and even meaningful progress in sprints remained elusive. That is why the emergence of Animesh Kujur, a 21-year-old from Odisha, has sparked a quiet but genuine sense of optimism.
Kujur has already rewritten the record books. His 20.32 seconds in the 200m at the Asian Athletics Championships earlier this year was not just good enough for a bronze medal; it was a new Indian national record, breaking a decade-long wait for a male sprinter on the Asian podium. A few months earlier, he had clocked 10.18 seconds in the 100m, another national mark. These are not just numbers they are milestones that signal India may finally have a sprinter capable of staying in the slipstream of the world’s best.
Now comes his toughest challenge yet: the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he will compete in the men’s 200m. The question being asked across Indian athletics circles is simple can he make the semifinals?
A New Benchmark for Indian Sprinting
To understand what Kujur has already achieved, it is worth looking at the broader picture. In the last decade, no Indian male sprinter has consistently broken the 21-second barrier in the 200m. For most, reaching 20.70s was considered the ceiling. Kujur has gone nearly four-tenths faster, and crucially, he did it under the high-pressure environment of a continental final. That 20.32s would have been enough to scrape into the semifinals of several past editions of the World Championships.
At the 2022 event in Eugene, for example, the slowest qualifying time across all heats was 20.37. The bar has been inching higher, but Kujur is now in the range where one perfect race could open the door to uncharted territory.
The Tokyo Heat Draw
But this is the World Championships, and nothing comes easy. The heat draw has placed Kujur alongside some of the most formidable names in global sprinting. The likes of Kenny Bednarek, Olympic and World medallist with a personal best of 19.57s, and Jerome Blake, Olympic relay gold medallist, will line up next to him. Add in Udodi Onwuzurike of Nigeria, who has run 19.76s, and Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa, a 20.01s runner, and the challenge becomes clear.
Qualification rules offer two paths: finish in the top three of the heat for automatic entry, or rely on one of the six fastest non-automatic qualifying spots across all heats. In recent years, that secondary route has typically demanded a 20.20–20.25s run. For Kujur, that means not just matching but bettering his national record.
Why There is Hope
It might sound like an uphill task, and it is, but there are reasons to believe that Kujur is capable of producing the extraordinary.
- Form and timing: His performances this year suggest he is peaking at the right moment. Sprinting, unlike distance running, often hinges on tiny margins, and a hundredth of a second gained through form, rhythm, or sheer adrenaline can make all the difference.
- Training environment: At the Odisha Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre, he has had access to world-class coaching under Martin Owens. His improvement curve has been sharp, which indicates there is still room for further drops in time.
- Psychological edge: The Asian Championships bronze, where he edged out rivals under pressure, will have strengthened his belief. Sprinting at the global level is often as much about confidence as raw speed.
Another factor in his favour is the potential pace of his heat. Running alongside sub-20 sprinters may push him to a faster time. In championships, fast heats often create opportunities for those chasing the time qualifiers.
Yet, the reality cannot be glossed over. Kujur’s rivals have not just run faster times, they have done it consistently and under the strain of multiple rounds at global meets. Bednarek, for instance, is renowned for easing through heats with controlled runs and then dropping under 19.8s in semifinals and finals. For him, the heat is a warm-up. For Kujur, it will be a make-or-break race. There is also the question of experience. The World Championships demand not only speed but also the ability to manage nerves, execute the curve efficiently, and hold form in the final 50 metres when lactic acid kicks in. This is where seasoned sprinters often pull away from newcomers.
Why This Moment Matters
Whether or not Kujur makes the semifinals, his presence on this stage is historic. For years, India’s men’s sprinting story has been about near-misses, fleeting talents, and times that looked respectable domestically but failed to measure up globally. Kujur is breaking that pattern. His duel with Abdulaziz Atafi of Saudi Arabia, who beat him by just 0.01s for silver in Bangkok, could also be one of the subplots to watch. Asian sprinting has long lived in the shadow of the Americas and the Caribbean.
Now, with athletes like Kujur, Atafi, and Japan’s Towa Uzawa pushing times closer to 20 seconds flat, the continent is beginning to matter in world sprinting conversations.
So, can Animesh Kujur really make the semifinals? The honest answer: it will take the race of his life. His personal best of 20.32s puts him on the cusp, but to survive this heat, he will likely need to dip under 20.25. That’s a tall order, but not an impossible one. For now, his challenge is to block out reputations, run his own race, and believe that a clean execution can bridge the gap. Even if the semifinal remains out of reach this time, the experience will shape his journey. At 21, he is still at the beginning of his arc.
With discipline, fitness, and the right competition schedule, he has the tools to bring Indian sprinting into the global conversation. Whatever happens in Tokyo, September 17 will be remembered as the day an Indian sprinter stood on the starting line of the World Championships 200m not just to participate, but with a realistic shot at advancing. That, in itself, marks a new chapter for Indian athletics.
