BENGALURU: Sprinter Gurindervir Singh is the latest example of heights Indian athletes can scale with the right support system. He snatched the national record in men's 100m from his training partner Manikanta H Hoblidhar, clocking 10.2 seconds to win the gold at the Indian Grand Prix 1 here on Friday.
On a warm afternoon at the SAI South Centre, the Punjab athlete, who found wings with new coach James Hillier, set the track ablaze in Race D. As the result flashed on the big screen, Gurindervir, who burst away after the halfway mark before Manikanta nearly caught him, let out a war cry and leapt in joy.
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Manikanta, who set the previous mark of 10.23 in 2023, couldn’t believe his eyes as he too improved on his mark, coming home in 10.22s to finish second. Amlan Borghohain came a distant third in 10.43, but he later made amends, topping the men's 200m race.
Five of the six athletes in Race D were representing the Reliance Foundation.
“This record was in my mind for many years. In 2021, I did a 10.27s and that time, the national record was 10.26s. Today was the first time I got some tailwind, and I was able to set the national record. It’s only 6-7 months since I joined them (Reliance Foundation), but I have grown in so much confidence that I was sure to set the new mark this season,” he said.
