NEW DELHI: A carefully preserved Rs 500 note, tucked inside the back cover of his mobile phone, traveled every step of sprinter Gurindervir Singh’s remarkable journey. The folded banknote, which the national record holder calls his “talisman”, is a reminder of his struggling days – he would find it to fund his training and struggled when he didn’t have enough money to pay tolls while traveling to practice in Punjab.“Someone helped me when I needed it most. That note has stayed with me ever since,” Gurindervir said, declining to reveal the full story. “The complete story is for my biopic.”Today, the 25-year-old Indian Navy sprinter has a much bigger story to tell. At the Federation Cup in Ranchi late last month, Gurindervir became the first Indian to break the 10.10 seconds mark in the men’s 100m, setting a national record of 10.09 seconds. The achievement is just a milestone, he believes.“My goal is not to stop at 10.09. If I stay consistent, continue to train well, recover properly and follow the process, I believe sub-10 is possible in future competitions,” Gurindervir said confidently.Under the guidance of trainer James Hillier of the Reliance Foundation, Gurindervir transformed both his training and his mindset. Every aspect of his preparation – strength, speed, mobility, recovery, nutrition and race performance – is meticulously planned. “Before, I had to solve everything by myself. Now I have the support of a coach, physiotherapist and nutritionist. We planned every phase of training, from strength to speed, and the results followed,” he said.With European training in Spala, Poland starting in July and major targets including the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian gamesGurindervir’s next target is clear. “I already broke the barrier on 10.10. Now I am chasing an even bigger one – to become the first Indian to run under 10,” he said.One important reason for Gurindervir’s breakthrough was a deeper understanding of the structure of his race. “My start has always been good, but in the past I have struggled to maintain my speed in the last 30m. This year we have worked extensively on improving my acceleration, race angles, getting out of the block and kicking. My race pattern is simple – I accelerate through the first 30m, increase my top speed by about 60 to 65m and then maintain it to the finish,” he said.His favorite exercises in the gym are squats and hangs. He deadlifts 220kg and deadlifts 145kg – figures that highlight the power that drives India’s fastest sprinter. “I maintain a body fat percentage of around 6 to 7% during training before dropping it to 5 to 6% during competition,” he added.However, the road to success was anything but smooth. Between 2021 and 2023, Gurindervir struggled with serious intestinal health problems caused by poor diet and contaminated water while staying at a sports hostel in Punjab. Limited finances meant he often survived on meatless chicken gravy after training.“We didn’t always get adequate food. Sometimes we only had gravity for meals. Sometimes even that wasn’t available. The drinking water was bad and all these factors ended up ruining my health,” he said.The condition became so severe that he lost almost 12 kg in just over a week and struggled to absorb nutrients. His sprinting career seemed to be in jeopardy. Treatment, a structured diet plan and scientific support under Hillier helped him rebuild his body and come back stronger.Equally significant was his mental evolution. Gurindervir admitted that a year ago, sudden fame and media attention often overwhelmed him. “If you had met Gurindervir last year, he would have been stressed. Before, I used to think about interviews and expectations all the time. The coach helped me understand how to deal with attention and stay focused on performance. Now I can no longer bear the unnecessary pressure. “I’m a stress-free person,” he said.His rivalry with fellow sprinter Animesh Kujur added a new dimension to Indian sprinting. The pair exchanged national records three times within 24 hours before Gurindervir came out on top with his run of 10.09 seconds.“Off the track we are friends and often roommates. On the track we are rivals. It’s healthy competition because we push each other to improve.”Despite growing recognition, Gurindervir’s sacrifices continue. He did not return home for more than a year, determined to achieve bigger goals before the celebration. “My family keeps calling me to come home. I tell them I won’t come back empty-handed. I want to bring back something special.”
