New Delhi: In a landmark home feat, 4 of India’s quickest sprinters just lately shattered the boys’s 4x100m nationwide document, which had stood unbroken for 15 years. Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Amlan Borgohain, and Manikanta Hoblidhar clocked a blistering 38.69 seconds on the India Open Relays, sending ripples by means of the Indian athletics circuit. All 4 represented the Reliance Basis Youth Sports activities (RSF) in Chandigarh, and the brand new nationwide document now stands within the identify of RSF.
Reliance Basis’s males’s relay workforce broke the 4X100m nationwide document just lately. (Reliance Basis)
The feat, although, wasn’t nearly uncooked pace; it additionally symbolised a shift in Indian athletics. For the primary time, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has opened home competitions to personal sports activities organisations, permitting entities like RSF and JSW Sports activities to area their very own groups.
RSF is the non-profit arm of Reliance Industries, and JSW Sports activities is backed by the metal giants. They prepare their athletes at respective elite state-of-the-art high-performance centres.
Home meets this season have seen participation from state associations, public sector items, corporate-backed foundations, and even Sports activities Authority of India’s NCOE centres (Indian Relays meet) — making for a various and aggressive construction. The brand new mannequin may considerably reshape the panorama of Indian athletics.
The AFI management believes it is not going to solely elevate the extent of competitors but in addition compel states to improve their services and enhance assist for his or her athletes.
“We wanted to try something different this Olympic cycle,” says AFI spokesperson and former president Adille Sumariwalla. “Athletes can now train wherever they choose and compete in domestic events. This should also motivate states to step up. Tamil Nadu, for instance, already has a foreign coach. Other states might follow suit.”
This modification comes within the wake of India’s underwhelming efficiency on the Paris Olympics, the place solely Neeraj Chopra managed to shine, profitable a second consecutive Olympic medal. The remainder of the contingent largely disillusioned.
Within the altering situation, RSF athletes have damaged three nationwide data — 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay. Gurindervir Singh clocked 10.20s to set a brand new 100m document, Animesh Kujur smashed the 200m mark with 20.40s, and the quartet of Gurindervir, Animesh, Amlan, and Manikanta mixed for the relay document.
These achievements come after years of planning at RSF’s high-performance centres in Odisha, and now in Mumbai, focussed on sprinters. James Hillier, RSF’s athletics director, has performed a key position. Hillier has been making ready elite athletes at RSF since 2019 and has labored carefully with Indian athletics.
“A lot of planning and effort has gone into this. It’s exciting times for Indian sprinting. Back in 2019, a 10.5s sprint could win you the 100m. Now, 10.45s may not get you to the final. That’s significant progress in five to six years,” Hillier instructed HT.
The ripple impact is being felt throughout the circuit. “Even athletes whom we don’t coach have started pushing the boundaries. There’s a belief that ‘yes, we can run 10.2s.’ That mindset didn’t exist before.”
On the Federation Cup, Pranav Pramod Gurav of Railways received the 100m in 10.27s, with Animesh (10.32s) and Manikanta (10.35s) shut behind. The momentum carried into the UAE Grand Prix, the place the boys’s 4x100m workforce clocked 38.76s to set a brand new meet document. Animesh continued his stellar run, timing 20.45s within the 200m.
It’s an encouraging build-up to the Asian Championships in South Korea later this month, the place Indian sprinters are eyeing a podium end. Given their kind, all 4 sprinters from RSF are a part of India’s relay workforce, and Hillier has been appointed to guide the squad.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity,” Hillier. “Opening up domestic competitions was a smart move by AFI. At Reliance, our mission is to prepare athletes to win medals for the country.”
Hillier has additionally been credited with backing skills like Jyothi Yarraji, who has risen to prominence and clinched a silver medal within the 100m hurdles on the Asian Video games.
“There’s no shortage of talent in India, but it hasn’t always been developed properly. A huge part is mental. Many athletes grow up believing they’re not good enough. We’ve challenged that mindset and changed it through our training programme.”
RSF’s elite coaching centre in Mumbai, led by Hillier, combines state-of-the-art tools with a holistic growth philosophy. “It’s an integrated approach focused on continuous improvement,” he says.
Nevertheless, Hillier, along with his expertise of working in India, feels grassroots have to be developed. Although his focus is elite efficiency, Hillier emphasises {that a} sturdy basis is important. “I’m not a grassroots coach. I work at the high-performance level. In the longer run for Indian athletics, the base needs to be much stronger.”
“You need specialist coaches in each area. I find the best coaches here want to work with elite athletes. Also, coaches should not be holding on to athletes, I know there are rewards and awards that come with it but that’s dangerous.
“Everyone is chasing short-term results. At ages 12 or 13, the focus should be on fundamentals, like teaching proper technique, discipline, mental preparation, and competition readiness —- not just winning medals. If you teach these things correctly, it would not require fixing such problems at the elite level.”