Animesh Kujur Shines at Indian Athletics Series
Animesh Kujur made a strong comeback at the Indian Athletics Series held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday. He won the exciting 100m race in a tight finish and later secured an easy victory in the 200m event.
The talented sprinter explained that he had made an important change to his starting block. This adjustment came after he faced a tough false start at the National Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar last month. His coach suggested the change, and it seems to have worked well, as Kujur displayed confidence in both races.
At just 22 years old, Kujur holds the national records for the 100m and 200m sprints. He shared that the memory of his false start was still on his mind as he prepared for the 200m race that morning. “I kept thinking about the false start,” he said. “But I was confident before the 100m, and during that race, I didn’t think about it at all.”
Kujur explained that the incident led him to rethink his approach to the starting blocks. “After the National Indoor Championships, my coach changed my block because the old one was risky. Now I’m using this new setup, and it’s exciting,” he noted.
The ambitious sprinter has set his sights high this season, aiming for marks that go beyond just winning local titles. He wishes to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m and 20 seconds in the 200m. Currently, his national records stand at 10.18 seconds for the 100m and 20.32 seconds for the 200m. “I know breaking those barriers will be tough, but I believe I can improve to 10.10 or 10.05 seconds,” he said confidently.
Reflecting on his experience from the previous year, Kujur acknowledged that he learned valuable lessons about balancing training and competitions. He mentioned that a busy schedule surrounding the World Championships affected his performance. “I learned a lot last year about managing my training with several competitions. This time, I’ll focus on fewer competitions to stay in better shape,” he explained.
With significant events like the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games on the horizon, Kujur is determined to prepare perfectly. “This year is important for me,” he stated. “The Asian Games is the last competition of the year, and I want to give my best performance.”
Kujur’s ongoing dedication suggests he is on a promising path as he aims for sports excellence.
