"Worked hard, believed in myself": Sprinter Gurindervir Singh after record-breaking win at Federation Cup

Athlete Gurindervir Singh expressed delight at his achievement of clinching a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race at the Federation Cup in Ranchi on Saturday. Gurindervir became the first Indian man to clock sub-10.10 seconds in the men's 100m, storming to victory with a sensational national record time of 10.09 seconds.

Athlete Gurindervir Singh expressed delight at his achievement of clinching a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race at the Federation Cup in Ranchi on Saturday. Gurindervir became the first Indian man to clock sub-10.10 seconds in the men's 100m, storming to victory with a sensational national record time of 10.09 seconds.

Speaking to ANI, Gurindervir Singh said he was delighted with his performance and hopes to continue delivering strong results in the future. He added that mental toughness played a crucial role in his race, helping him stay focused and perform well. "It is a very good feeling. Hopefully, I will train well and bring good results in the future. In the last minute, the game is more about being mentally strong than being physically strong. I was able to keep myself mentally strong yesterday, and that is why I was able to run well," he said.

Gurindervir credited his success to the constant support of his family, coaches, and support staff. He especially thanked his parents for their inspiration and motivation, acknowledged the role of his trainers and dietitian, and praised the Reliance Foundation for providing top-class facilities. He added that hard work and self-belief were key factors behind his achievements. "There are many people I would like to give credit to. First, I would like to give credit to my family. My father, who inspires me, my mother, who motivates me, and then I would like to give credit to my coach, who trained me. All the coaches I have trained with to date deserve credit. They believed in me and provided me with excellent training. The Reliance Foundation, which provided me with the facilities, has a huge role to play in my success. My dietitian has contributed a lot to my achievements. I worked hard and believed in myself, and everyone else has contributed to my success," the sprinter said.

Gurindervir, 24, shaved 0.06 seconds off the previous national mark, which had been set just a day earlier in the semifinals by Animesh Kujur, as per ESPN. Notably, Gurindervir himself had briefly held the record after running 10.17 seconds in the semifinals, before Animesh eclipsed it minutes later with a 10.15-second effort.

On Saturday, however, Gurindervir reclaimed the record emphatically, while both sprinters secured qualification for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where they will represent India in the men's 100m. Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi, on the other hand, became the first Indian man to break the 45-second barrier in the 400m, also claiming a victory at the Federation Cup with a sensational national record time of 44.98 seconds.

On a historic day for Indian sprinting, Vishal's landmark run came shortly after Singh clocked a stunning 10.09 seconds in the men's 100m, capping off a memorable evening for Indian athletics in Ranchi. (ANI)