The event unfolded at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Ranchi, where Gurindervir executed the most significant race of his career. With this timing, he became the first Indian athlete to break the 10.10-second barrier in the 100m race. His outstanding performance allowed him to reclaim the national record from Animesh Kujur, who had earlier recorded a time of 10.15 seconds in the same event.
Gurindervir’s sprint time of 10.09 seconds is currently the second-fastest in Asia this season, with Japanese sprinter Fukuto Komuro leading with a time of 10.08 seconds.
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This remarkable performance also secured Gurindervir’s spot in two major international competitions: the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. He easily surpassed the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification mark of 10.16 seconds in his race.
Who is Gurindervir Singh?
Hailing from Punjab, Gurindervir Singh comes from a family passionate about sports. According to NDTV, his father, Kamaljeet Singh, is a former national-level volleyball player and a retired constable with the Punjab Police. As a child, Gurindervir would spend hours polishing his father’s medals and trophies during Diwali clean-ups. Looking at old photos and accolades ignited his aspiration to become an athlete.
Gurindervir Singh started his journey on challenging village grounds well before stepping into professional athletics. He used to travel over 13 kilometers daily while enrolled at Guru Nanak Mission School in Dalla.
Later, he transitioned to Cambridge School in Jalandhar, where coach Sarabjit Singh Happy played a pivotal role in his development.
This coach treated Gurindervir like family and supported his nutrition, recovery, and training during tough financial times. Years later, Gurindervir joined the Reliance Foundation setup and began training under coach James Hillier.
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The sprinter currently holds the national record for the 60m race with a time of 6.60 seconds and was part of India’s record-breaking 4x100m relay team last year. Gurindervir Singh is now serving as a Petty Officer in the Indian Navy.
However, the path hasn’t been without challenges. Gurindervir dealt with criticism from those who doubted that Indians possess the ‘genetic makeup’ for elite sprinting. His 10.09-second performance in Ranchi stands as a powerful response to such skepticism.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: May 25, 2026 3:42 PM IST
