“10.10. — IS NOT FINISHED YET. WAIT, I AM STILL STANDING,” these were the lines that Gurindervir Singh had written on a note in pure IPL-style celebration when he became the first Indian to break the sub 10.10 seconds clock in the 100 meter race. The record was created on the evening of May 23 (Saturday) at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Ranchi during the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition.
Competing in front of a roaring crowd Gurindervir didn’t just win gold—he clocked an astronomical, boundary-breaching 10.09 seconds.
With that single, blazing run, he became the first Indian in history to dip below the elusive 10.10-second threshold, putting him a mere fraction of a second away from the global sub-10 standard and recording Asia’s second-fastest time of the entire season.
The Story Behind the Note: “Wait, I Am Still Standing”
Immediately after crossing the finish line and realizing he had made history, Gurindervir held up a handwritten note to the cameras that sent a fiery, unyielding message to his critics, selectors, and the entire athletic establishment.
The note simply read:
“10.10. — IS NOT FINISHED YET. WAIT, I AM STILL STANDING.”
The statement was a raw, unfiltered response to a devastating multi-year cycle of injuries, hamstring tears, and systemic doubt. After setting early domestic records, Gurindervir had fallen completely out of the national spotlight, with critics suggesting that his prime was over and that he should yield to a younger crop of sprinters.
By crossing out “10.10” and putting down 10.09, Gurindervir signaled to the federation that his long, painful journey of rehabilitation was officially complete. Reflecting on the systemic discouragement he faced early in his career, an emotional Gurindervir stated:
“People discouraged me when I wanted to run the 100m. They said to run the 400m. They said Indians can’t run the 100m. But I wanted to prove a point. Indian genes tagde hain! (Indian genes are incredibly strong!)”
The Friendly Beef: The 5-Minute Record War with Animesh Kujur
What makes Gurindervir’s 10.09-second masterpiece truly legendary is the fierce, high-stakes rivalry that pushed him to it. For the past year, Indian sprinting has been defined by a thrilling, razor-edge “speed war” between Gurindervir Singh and 22-year-old prodigy Animesh Kujur of Odisha.
In fact, both athletes are close friends and elite training partners under the exact same coach—Reliance Foundation’s Athletics Director, James Hillier. Yet, on the track, their friendly rivalry turned into an absolute boardroom nightmare for timekeepers.
The drama exploded during Friday’s semifinal heats in a chaotic 5-minute sequence that changed the face of Indian sport:
The First Strike: Running in Semifinal Heat 1, Gurindervir blew past the field, clocking 10.17 seconds to break Animesh’s existing national record of 10.18.
The 5-Minute Retaliation: Just five minutes later, Animesh Kujur stepped onto the blocks for Semifinal Heat 2. Stung by seeing his record fall, Kujur blazed through the track to clock 10.15 seconds, dispossessing Gurindervir and snatching the national record right back before the stadium announcer could even finish updating the spreadsheets.
The Tactical Deception: Crucially, during that Friday semifinal, Gurindervir had noticeably slowed down and leaned backward in the final 20 meters just to preserve his energy for the final, missing the Commonwealth Games automatic mark by 0.01 seconds. Coach Hillier warned the field: “Guri is running 10.0s in training. Expect him to come back super strong.”
On Saturday’s final, the psychological warfare reached its peak. Eager to reclaim his throne, Gurindervir didn’t hold back a single millimeter. He left Kujur completely stunned out of the blocks, beating his younger rival by at least two clear feet. Animesh finished a distant second at 10.20 seconds, watching the national crown slide firmly back to the man from Punjab.
The Ultimate Indian Sprint Leaderboard
The explosive two-day battle in Ranchi has completely rewritten the historical speed books of Indian athletics:
| Rank | Sprinter | State / Academy | Best Timing | Event / Date |
| 1 | Gurindervir Singh | Punjab / Reliance | 10.09s | Federation Cup (May 23, 2026) |
| 2 | Animesh Kujur | Odisha / Reliance | 10.15s | Federation Cup Semis (May 22, 2026) |
| 3 | Manikanta Hoblidhar | Karnataka | 10.22s | National Inter-State (2025) |
| 4 | Amiya Kumar Mallick | Odisha | 10.26s | National Federation Cup (2016) |
What Lies Ahead: Destination Glasgow For Animesh and Gurindervir
The historic performance has instantly altered India’s international track expectations. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had set an incredibly strict, unforgiving qualification baseline of 10.16 seconds for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
By dropping a 10.09 and a 10.15 respectively over the weekend, both Gurindervir and Animesh have comfortably cleared the selection barrier.
Gurindervir’s historic mark proves that with world-class coaching, data-driven sports science, and a fierce rival ticking right over your shoulder, Indian sprinters can match the raw, explosive output of the world’s best. The “fastest Indian on the planet” is no longer just standing—he is flying.