Chennai: Sprinter Animesh Kujur etched his name in Indian athletics history on Saturday by becoming the first-ever Indian male sprinter to qualify for the World Athletics Championships. The 22-year-old from Chhattisgarh secured his berth with a gold medal in the men’s 200m event at the ongoing National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai.
Kujur clocked 20.63 seconds, further improving his position in the Road to Tokyo rankings, which ultimately sealed his ticket to the World Championships scheduled to begin on September 13 in Tokyo.
This season has already been remarkable for Animesh, who has broken both the 100m and 200m national records while also clinching a bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championships. His consistent performances mark a turning point for Indian sprinting, a discipline long overshadowed in global athletics.
Athletics experts say Kujur’s qualification is more than just an individual milestone—it signals the arrival of Indian sprinting on the world stage. With his explosive pace and steady progression, he is expected to be India’s key hope in short-distance events at the Tokyo World Championships.