India’s sprint sensation Animesh Kujur is aiming to push his limits further after incorporating valuable technical advice from legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt into his training routine.
The 22-year-old, who emerged as India’s fastest man in 2025, revealed that his interaction with Bolt last year proved to be a turning point in refining his technique. Determined to improve his timing, Kujur has been diligently working on the inputs he received, particularly focusing on his running action and starting mechanics.
Learning from the Greatest
Kujur had the rare opportunity to meet Bolt during a promotional event in New Delhi, where he sought feedback on his sprinting style. The Olympic legend offered several key suggestions, especially on body posture and hand movement during the start phase.
Implementing those changes, however, was not easy.
Kujur admitted that adapting to a new technique initially felt uncomfortable and even impacted his timing. But with persistence and guidance from his coach, he gradually began to see improvements in his performance.
Focus on Faster Starts
One of the major areas of improvement for Kujur has been his race start—often considered the most crucial phase in sprinting. Competing in the 60m event at the National Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar is part of that strategy.
The shorter distance allows him to sharpen his acceleration and starting speed, which he believes will translate into better performances in the 100m and 200m races.
Having previously clocked national record times of 10.18 seconds in the 100m and 20.32 seconds in the 200m, Kujur is now targeting even faster finishes and aiming to reach world-class standards.
Big Goals for 2026
With marquee events like the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games lined up, Kujur is adopting a more calculated approach this season. Instead of participating in numerous competitions, he plans to focus on quality events and peak at the right time.
The Odisha sprinter also highlighted the importance of balancing training and competition after experiencing fatigue from an overloaded schedule last year.
Confidence on the Rise
Now training at the state-of-the-art indoor facility in Bhubaneswar, Kujur feels more confident about his progress—especially in his improved starts.
Backed by lessons from one of the greatest sprinters of all time, Kujur believes he is on the right path to achieving new milestones and elevating Indian sprinting on the global stage.
As he puts in the hard yards, all eyes will be on whether the “Bolt effect” can help him rewrite the record books once again.
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