The 22-year-old sprinter, training under British coach Martin Owens, has found the focus shift after Gurindervir Singh set a new men’s 100m national record with a historic sub-10.10 run earlier this year.
Instead of making comparisons, Kujur emphasized his commitment to performing well on the track.
“Just waiting for the Asian Games,” Kujur told PTI when asked about his desire to reclaim the title of fastest man.
When further pressed, the Odisha sprinter smiled and added, “Yeah, just wait until the Asian Games. Then we can discuss again.”
Kujur has emerged as a standout sprinting talent in India since joining the Reliance Foundation’s high-performance program under Owens. This partnership began after he was inspired by the achievements of fellow Reliance athletes Amlan Borgohain and Jyothi Yarraji.
“I started looking into Reliance and its athletes. I learned about Amlan and Jyothi Didi. I noticed coach Martin wearing the Reliance T-shirt. After seeing my race, my coach asked if I wanted to join Reliance, and I said yes. Since then, we’ve been working together,” Kujur shared.
Kujur believes that regular competition in Europe has significantly advanced his development by introducing him to faster fields and tougher competition.
“When I race against faster athletes, I gain a clear understanding of my standing. In India, particularly in the 200 meters, I usually lead from the start. This is why competing in Europe is essential. I identify the areas needing technical improvement and focus on them during training.”
