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Indian sprinting entered a new era on Saturday as two national records fell within just 30 minutes at the National Senior Federation Competition. Gurindervir Singh delivered a sensational performance to shatter the men’s 100m national record, lowering it to 10.09 seconds. Meanwhile, Vishal TK etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian athlete to run the 400m in under 45 seconds.

Gurindervir's blistering sprint secured the second-fastest time in Asia this season. Vishal went one step further, as his remarkable 44.98-second finish stands as the fastest time on the continent so far this year.

The Ultimate 100m Showdown

The highly anticipated 100m final between Gurindervir and previous national record holder Animesh Kujur lived up to the hype, establishing a legendary rivalry to determine the fastest Indian athlete. The battle for the record had actually peaked on Friday. Animesh entered the tournament as the favorite, holding the previous national record of 10.18 seconds established last year. However, during Friday's opening day, the 25-year-old Gurindervir clocked 10.17 seconds in the first semifinal heat to claim the record.

In a dramatic twist just five minutes later, the 22-year-old Animesh reclaimed his title by running 10.15 seconds in the second semifinal heat. The men’s 100m national record was broken twice in a matter of minutes. On Saturday, Gurindervir, representing the Reliance Foundation, secured the ultimate victory in the final. The Punjab athlete became the first Indian sprinter to breach the 10.10-second barrier.

He crossed the finish line a couple of feet ahead of his younger rival, clocking a time 0.11 seconds faster than Animesh. Pranav Gurav, also representing the Reliance Foundation, secured third place with a time of 10.29 seconds.

Gurindervir’s 10.09-second mark comfortably breached the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) 2026 Commonwealth Games qualifying standard of 10.16 seconds. His time trails only Japan's 19-year-old Fukuto Komuro, who clocked 10.08 seconds in May, on the Asian season leaderboards.

Vishal TK Makes 400m History

The quarter-mile event witnessed an equally monumental milestone. Representing Tamil Nadu, 22-year-old Vishal TK cemented his reputation as one of India's most promising athletes. Last year in Chennai, he turned heads by breaking the men’s 400m national record with a time of 45.12 seconds.

On Saturday, Vishal raised the bar higher. His stunning 44.98-second run made him the first Indian ever to dip below the 45-second threshold.

This performance also moved him past the AFI's 2026 Commonwealth Games qualifying benchmark of 44.96 seconds. Additionally, it pushed him to the top of the Asian rankings this season, overtaking Ammar Ismail Ibrahim’s previous best of 45.16 seconds set in April.

Fellow Tamil Nadu runner Rajesh Ramesh secured second place with a time of 45.31 seconds, while Uttar Pradesh’s Jay Kumar finished third at 45.47 seconds.