'Champion' Gurindervir Singh's historic 100m feat wins acclaim from India's cricket icons

Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh lauded India's sprint sensation Gurindervir Singh after the Punjab athlete scripted history by becoming the fastest Indian ever in the men's 100m event.

Gurindervir clocked a sensational 10.09 seconds at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi, becoming the first Indian man to breach the 10.10-second barrier in the blue-riband event.

The 25-year-old's remarkable effort rewrote the national record and secured qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Reacting to the historic feat, Tendulkar shared a post on X, praising the sprinter for his landmark achievement.

"Incredibly proud of Gurindervir Singh for becoming the fastest Indian ever. What a phenomenal achievement. Keep sprinting ahead, champion!" Tendulkar said in a post on X.

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Yuvraj also congratulated the sprinter through a heartfelt Instagram post, highlighting Punjab's rich sporting culture and Gurindervir's inspirational rise.

"Congratulations @gurindervir_singh on creating history with a stunning 10.09s National Record in the 100m. Proud to see India produce moments like this on the global stage, and even prouder to see Punjab continue its incredible legacy of giving the country fearless athletes with heart, hunger and determination. Your achievement will inspire a whole new generation to believe that Indian sprinting belongs among the very best," Yuvraj posted.

Gurindervir's record-breaking run capped a dramatic day in Ranchi. He had earlier clocked 10.17 seconds in the semifinals to briefly set a new national mark, only for fellow sprinter Animesh Kujur to surpass it moments later with a 10.15-second effort.

In the final, however, Gurindervir reclaimed the record emphatically with his historic 10.09s finish, while both he and Animesh booked their spots for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Earlier on Sunday, the Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the sprinter after he became the first Indian to clock below 10.10 seconds in the men's 100m event.

In a post on X, Mandaviya wrote, "10.09 seconds! Gurindervir Singh, you have rewritten history. The entire nation is incredibly proud of you!"