Animesh Kujur and Mohammed Afsal delivered standout performances for India at the Saudi Athletics Grand Prix 2026 in Riyadh, winning gold medals in their respective events at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet.
Animesh won the men’s 200m title in 20.77 seconds, finishing ahead of Great Britain’s David Harrison and Toby Harries. The Indian sprinter also secured second place in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.44 seconds, just 0.02 behind Harrison. Fellow Indian sprinter Gurindervir Singh registered the same time but finished third after a photo finish.
Meanwhile, Afsal clinched gold in the men’s 800m with a timing of 1:48.24, holding off South Africans Christopher Swart and Werner Gouws in a tightly contested race.
India also added another gold through the men’s 4x100m relay team, which clocked 40.49 seconds.
Indian athletics’ rising global presence
For Animesh, the Riyadh meet was another chapter in a rapidly growing career that has transformed Indian sprinting expectations.
The 22-year-old from a tribal village in Chhattisgarh has emerged as one of India’s biggest athletics breakthroughs in recent years. Originally a footballer, Animesh trained through the Indian system before moving to the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre under coach Martin Owens.
He currently holds the Indian national records in both the 100m and 200m and became the first Indian male sprinter to qualify for the World Athletics Championships through rankings in 2025.
Afsal, meanwhile, continues to anchor India’s middle-distance ambitions. The runner from Kerala became the first Indian athlete to break the 1:45 barrier in the 800m earlier this year and remains the national record holder in the event.
An Asian Games silver medallist and a consistent presence on the international circuit, Afsal once again showed his ability to control tactical races and finish strongly against quality competition.
The performances in Riyadh continue a promising season for Indian athletics ahead of a packed international calendar later this year.
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