Animesh Kujur Breaks National 100m Record at 2026 Athletics Championship

Animesh Kujur has made headlines by breaking the national 100m record at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi. After a thrilling semifinal where he reclaimed his title from Gurindervir Singh, Animesh clocked an impressive 10.15 seconds. This achievement not only sets a new national benchmark but also qualifies him for the Commonwealth Games. The competition serves as a crucial selection trial for the upcoming games in Glasgow. The opening day also featured other exciting events, including women's long jump and discus throw, showcasing top talents in Indian athletics.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 23, 2026, 01:24 IST

Animesh Kujur Sets New 100m National Record

Animesh Kujur achieved a remarkable feat by breaking the national record for the men's 100m event during the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 held in Ranchi on Friday.

In the semifinals of the men's 100m race, Gurindervir Singh, aged 25, initially surpassed Animesh's previous record of 10.18 seconds, which was established last year, clocking in at 10.17 seconds in the first semifinal heat. However, Animesh, who is 22 years old, reclaimed his title in the subsequent semifinal with a time of 10.15 seconds.

Additionally, Animesh surpassed the Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) qualification standard of 10.16 seconds for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, as reported by Olympics.com.

The final of the men's 100m event promises an exciting clash between Animesh and Gurindervir on Saturday.

The Federation Cup is recognized as one of India's top athletics events and serves as the sole selection trial for the Commonwealth Games 2026, scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. With a limit of 32 track-and-field athletes per country for the CWG 2026, the AFI has implemented stringent qualification criteria, requiring athletes to exceed the national record to qualify.

Other Highlights from Day 1

The opening day also showcased finals in the 10,000m, hammer throw, and women's long jump events.

Asian Games silver medalist Ancy Sojan topped the women's long jump with a personal best of 6.75m, followed by Shaili Singh at 6.58m and Bhavani Yadav at 6.39m.

In the women's discus throw, Seema exceeded the CWG 2026 entry standard of 56.85m, achieving a distance of 57.29m to secure first place, with Nidhi Rani at 55.05m and Krishna Jayasankar at 55.00m.

Federation Cup Athletics 2026: Day 1 Winners

Men's 10000m

(CWG qualification - 27:39.03): 1. Deepak Bhatt (29:42.93s); 2. Shailesh Khushwaha (29:57.56s); 3. Prashant Chaudhary (30:36.97s)

Women's 10000m

(CWG qualification - 31:14.14): 1. Ravina Gayakwad (35:30.98s); 2. Soniya (36:16.22s); 3. Aarti Pawara (36:24.79s)

Men's Hammer Throw

(CWG qualification - 73.09m): 1. Ashish Jakhar (68.52m); 2. Damneet Singh (67.62m); 3. Ajay Kumar (64.93m)

Women's Long Jump

(CWG qualification - 6.84m): 1. Ancy Sojan (6.75m); 2. Shaili Singh (6.58m); 3. Bhavani Yadav (6.39m)

Women's Discus

(CWG qualification - 56.85m): 1. Seema (57.29m); 2. Nidhi Rani (55.05m); 3. Krishna Jayasankar (55.00m)

Men's 3000m Steeplechase

(CWG qualification - 8:30.26s): 1. Balkishan (8:56.01s); 2. Sharuk Khan (8:56.63s); 3. Sunil Jinabhai (8:58.3s)

Women's 3000m Steeplechase

(CWG qualification - 9:27.41s): 1. Ankita (9:48.16s); 2. Prachi Devkar (10:16.29s); 3. Anju (10:28.23s).