Asian Games 2026: Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh Sprint into Men’s 100m Semifinals

India’s sprint campaign at the Asian Games 2026 got off to a positive start as Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh both advanced to the semifinals of the men’s 100m on Thursday.

Kujur clocked 10.36 seconds to finish third in Heat 1, while Gurindervir Singh ran 10.38 seconds and finished second in Heat 4. Both Indians successfully negotiated the opening round and will return to the track for the semifinals on September 25 from 4:03 PM IST onwards.

Their qualification gives India two representatives in the next stage of one of athletics’ marquee events at the Asian Games.

Animesh Kujur lined up in Heat 1 with a season-best time of 10.14 seconds, making him one of the leading sprinters in his heat before the race. However, the Indian was unable to reproduce his season-best performance, crossing the finish line in 10.36 seconds. That time was enough to secure third place in the heat and, more importantly, one of the available semifinal positions.

Kujur had to remain focused through the 100m as the athletes around him battled for the automatic qualifying places. Finishing inside the top three ensured that he did not have to depend on the overall fastest-times qualification route. His result placed him 13th overall across all heats, according to the supplied results.

For Kujur, the semifinal will now provide another opportunity to improve on his opening-round performance.

Gurindervir Finishes Second

Gurindervir Singh also progressed from his heat, finishing second in Heat 4 with a time of 10.38 seconds. The Indian sprinter had entered the competition with a season-best of 10.09 seconds, which was the fastest mark among the athletes listed in his heat. Like Kujur, however, Gurindervir was unable to match his season-best in the opening round.

His 10.38-second performance was nevertheless sufficient to secure second place and automatic qualification for the semifinals. Gurindervir finished 16th overall across the heats, with his position in Heat 4 ensuring a straightforward route into the next round. With two Indian sprinters now through, attention turns to the semifinal stage.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson provided one of the standout performances of the opening round, clocking a remarkable 9.95 seconds. The Thai sprinter was the fastest athlete across all the heats and became the only runner to break the 10-second barrier in the opening round. Oman’s Ali Al Balushi was the second-fastest qualifier overall, recording 10.06 seconds.

The performances underline the level of competition awaiting Kujur and Gurindervir in the semifinals. Both Indians will need to improve significantly on their heat times if they are to challenge the fastest sprinters in the next round.

The opening-round performances also leave room for improvement for both Indian athletes. Kujur entered the Asian Games with a season best of 10.14 seconds, but clocked 10.36 seconds in his heat. Gurindervir arrived with an even faster season best of 10.09 seconds, yet recorded 10.38 seconds.

The gap between their season-best performances and their heat timings means both sprinters have scope to find additional speed in the semifinals. The immediate objective, however, was qualification, and both athletes achieved that target. The semifinals will present a substantially tougher challenge, with the field expected to become more competitive as the athletes fight for places in the final.

India’s Sprint Campaign Continues

The qualification of two Indian athletes for the men's 100m semifinals represents an important stage in India's sprint campaign at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Kujur and Gurindervir will now have another opportunity to test themselves against the leading sprinters in Asia. The contrast between their season-best marks and their opening-round times will also make the semifinal performances particularly significant. Both will be looking to find greater rhythm and speed when they return to the track.

For now, the key result is simple: two Indians have made it through the opening round. Kujur's 10.36 seconds earned him third place in Heat 1, while Gurindervir's 10.38 seconds placed him second in Heat 4. They finished 13th and 16th respectively across the heats, while Boonson's 9.95 seconds set the benchmark for the round.

The men's 100m semifinals will take place on September 25 from 4:03 PM IST onwards, with Kujur and Gurindervir aiming to take the next step in India's sprint campaign.