Gurindervir Singh scripted history at the 29th National Federation Cup Athletics Championships in Ranchi by clocking 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m final, becoming the first Indian sprinter to break the 10.10 second barrier.The landmark performance shattered the national record and secured his qualification for the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Congratulating the Navy man, the Indian Navy said in a post on X, “The fastest man in India wears white”. Gurindervir Singh, Petty Officer of the Indian Navy scripts history by setting a new national record in the 100m sprint with a sensational timing of 10.09 seconds at the ongoing 29th National Federation Cup Athletics Championships at Ranchi. With this remarkable performance, he has also qualified for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games 2026.
Indian Navy salutes the spirit, speed and dedication of our champion sprinter. Fair winds. Fast feet,” the post further said.In the Indian Navy, a Petty Officer is a senior non-commissioned officer rank, equivalent to a Havildar in the Indian Army.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya praised the achievement, saying Gurindervir had “rewritten history” for Indian athletics.
Born on December 24, 2000, Gurindervir Singh comes from Patial village near Bhogpur in Punjab’s Jalandhar district. Raised in a family deeply connected to sports and service, he was introduced to athletics at an early age by his father, Kamaljit Singh, a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector and former national-level volleyball player.
With limited training facilities available, his father focused on building his speed and strength through basic drills, skipping, and running exercises. His mother provided emotional support throughout his journey, while his grandfather, a former kabaddi player and Army serviceman, inspired discipline and resilience.
Inspired by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt after watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Gurindervir began serious sprint training around the age of seven. Coaches at Guru Nanak Mission Public School, including Sarwan Singh and later Sarabjit Singh, recognised and refined his natural sprinting talent.
However, the road to success was far from smooth. At 13, when he committed himself to the 100m sprint, some coaches reportedly discouraged him, claiming Indian athletes lacked the genetic ability to compete at the highest level in sprinting. Gurindervir chose to challenge that belief.
His career faced another major setback in 2022 when a serious digestive disorder affected the mucous lining of his stomach, limiting nutrient absorption and forcing him out of competition for nearly a year. The prolonged struggle nearly pushed him away from the sport.
Under English coach James Hillier ,Gurindervir gained access to advanced nutrition, physiotherapy, strength conditioning, recovery systems, and sports psychology support.
Training alongside leading Indian sprinters such as Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Amlan Borgohain helped sharpen his competitive edge.
The Navy has remained a strong pillar of support throughout his rise.
His breakthrough performances began in March 2025, when he clocked 10.20 seconds at the Indian Grand Prix-1 in Bengaluru to set a new national record. A month later, he contributed to India’s 4x100m relay team clocking another national record of 38.69 seconds.
In March 2026, Gurindervir added another national mark by running 6.60 seconds in the 60m event.
At Ranchi, he first clocked 10.17 seconds in the semifinal before delivering the historic 10.09-second run in the final. He exploded out of the blocks, maintained composure through the middle phase, and powered clear at the finish line, ending 0.11 seconds ahead of Animesh Kujur.
The previous national record of 10.18 seconds was erased as India celebrated a new sprinting icon.
After the race, Gurindervir reflected on fulfilling a childhood dream.
“I have been thinking from the time I was eight years old that I can go this fast,” he said.
Calling sprinting a test of mental strength as much as physical ability, he credited his training partners for constantly pushing him to improve.
His bib and t-shirt carried the words: “10.10. Task is not finished yet. Wait, I am still standing” — a message aimed at motivating himself and answering doubters.
His achievement is being viewed as a defining moment for Indian athletics, challenging long-standing perceptions about India’s sprinting potential.
With the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games approaching, expectations will now rest heavily on Gurindervir Singh — the Navy man from Punjab who has become India’s fastest man.
Gurindervir Singh is not the first athlete from the armed forces to bring glory to the nation. Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh also had a distinguished association with the military. He joined the Indian Army in 1951 after failing to gain entry on three earlier occasions. Enlisted as a sepoy in the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, it was during his demanding training in Secunderabad that his exceptional athletic ability came to light, paving the way for his rise as an international sporting legend.
(Image source: Indian Navy’s X)
