Sprint star Animesh Kujur’s gold in the men’s 200m has become the launchpad for a global journey, carrying Odisha’s sprinting power from Kalinga Stadium to Asia and the Commonwealth stage. At the 65th National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, Animesh stormed to gold in the men’s 200m final, clocking 20.74 seconds to finish ahead of Dondapati Mrutyam Jayaram (20.97) and Kerala’s Jishnu Prasad PK (21.18) in a high-quality field.
That performance did more than secure a national title—it unlocked qualification for the Asian Championships in Japan, where Animesh will represent India in two events, underlining his status as one of the country’s most exciting young sprinters. His progression has also earned him a ticket to the Commonwealth Games, taking an athlete from Odisha’s lanes onto one of the biggest stages in world sport.
Animesh’s his 200m victory and his qualification is a breakthrough for Odisha sprinting. Odisha is now producing sprinters capable of competing at Asian and global levels. Behind this rise is a well-built pipeline. Odisha Athletics Association, Sports Odisha and RF Youth Sports have combined to provide quality coaching, regular competition exposure at Kalinga Stadium, and a structured pathway for athletes to progress from state meets to national championships and beyond. For young sprinters across the state, Animesh Kujur’s journey—from gold at the National Inter State to Asian Championships in Japan and the Commonwealth Games—shows exactly what focused training and strong institutional support can achieve.
