The narrative behind greatness is often the same — in sport and in life. It is built on pushing limits, breaking stereotypes and proving doubters wrong. Gurindervir Singh’s journey to that historic night in Ranchi on Saturday carried every one of those elements. And after clocking a staggering 10.09-second 100m dash at the National Senior Federation Competition, he made sure nobody forgot it.
In the span of just 24 hours at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium, Gurindervir broke the national record twice.
On Friday, he shattered the previous mark of 10.19 seconds by 10 milliseconds in the first semifinal heat. Less than five minutes later, former record holder Animesh Kujur, representing Odisha, responded with a sensational 10.15-second run to reclaim the record.
But the Punjab sprinter, representing the Reliance Foundation, had the final word in the rivalry.
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In Saturday’s final, Gurindervir stopped the clock at 10.09 seconds to achieve what no Indian had ever managed before — becoming the first from the country to run the men’s 100m in under 10.1 seconds.
For Gurindervir, the barrier was never impossible. He believed Indians had simply been conditioned to think it was.
The sprinter recalled that when he was just 13 and becoming serious about athletics, several coaches advised him to give up the 100m and shift to the 400m instead.
“They told me there’s no future in the 100m. I should instead try to run the 400m. They said the 100m was not for Indians. Indians didn’t have the body type for it. But I wanted to prove them wrong. I wanted to prove Indian genes tagde hain,” he told Sportstar.
And he carried that belief all the way to the finish line.
After storming through the race on Saturday, Gurindervir ripped off his bib and held it up toward the cameras. Not to show the number, but the message written behind it before the race had even begun.
“Task is not finished yet,” it read. “Wait, I am still standing.”
Beside it was another number, double underlined: “10.10s”.
Later, while speaking to ANI, Gurindervir credited his success to the unwavering support of his family, coaches and support staff. He especially thanked his parents for constantly motivating him, acknowledged the role played by his trainers and dietitian, and praised the Reliance Foundation for providing world-class facilities.
“There are many people I would like to thank. First of all, my family — my father, who inspires me, and my mother, who motivates me. Then my coaches, and every trainer I have worked with over the years. They believed in me and helped me improve. The Reliance Foundation also played a huge role by providing top-class facilities. My dietitian contributed immensely as well. I worked hard, believed in myself, and everyone around me supported me throughout the journey,” he said.
