NEW DELHI: A carefully preserved Rs 500 note, tucked inside the back cover of his mobile phone, has travelled every step of sprinter Gurindervir Singh’s remarkable journey. The folded note, which the national record holder calls his “lucky charm”, is a reminder of his days of struggle — he would find it difficult to fund his training and once did not have enough money to pay a toll fee while travelling for practice in Punjab.“Someone helped me when I needed it the most. That note has stayed with me since,” Gurindervir said, refusing to reveal the full story. “The complete story is for my biopic.”Today, the 25-year-old Indian Navy sprinter has a far bigger story to tell. At the Federation Cup in Ranchi late last month, Gurindervir became the first Indian to break the 10.10-second barrier in the men’s 100m, clocking a national record of 10.09 seconds. The achievement is only a milestone, he believes.“My target is not to stop at 10.09. If I stay consistent, keep training well, recover properly and follow the process, I believe a sub-10 run is possible in future competitions,” Gurindervir said confidently.Under coach James Hillier at the Reliance Foundation, Gurindervir has transformed both his training and his mindset. Every aspect of his preparation — strength, speed, mobility, recovery, diet and race execution — is meticulously planned. “Earlier I had to manage everything alone. Now I have support from coaches, physiotherapists and nutritionists. We planned every phase of training, from strength to speed, and the results have followed,” he said.With a European training stint in Spala, Poland beginning in July and major targets including the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Gurindervir’s next target is clear. “I have already broken the 10.10 barrier. Now, I am chasing even bigger – becoming the first Indian to run under 10s,” he said.One important reason behind Gurindervir’s breakthrough has been a deeper understanding of his race structure. “My start has always been good, but earlier I struggled to maintain my speed in the final 30 metres. This year, we worked extensively on improving my acceleration, race angles, block exit and foot strike. My race pattern is simple – accelerate through the first 30 metres, build towards top speed by around 60 to 65 metres and then maintain it till the finish,” he said.His favourite gym exercises are the squat and hang clean. He lifts 220kg in the half squat and 145kg in the hang clean — numbers that underline the power driving India’s fastest sprinter. “I maintain a body fat percentage of around 6 to 7% cent during training before reducing it to 5 to 6% during competitions,” he added.The road to success, however, was anything but smooth. Between 2021 and 2023, Gurindervir battled severe gut-related health issues caused by poor diet and contaminated water during his time at a sports hostel in Punjab. Limited finances meant he often survived on chicken gravy without meat after training sessions.“We didn’t always get proper food. Sometimes we only had gravy with our meals. At times even that was unavailable. The drinking water was poor and all these factors eventually damaged my health,” he said.The condition became so severe that he lost nearly 12kg in little over a week and struggled to absorb nutrients. His sprinting career appeared to be in jeopardy. Medical treatment, a structured nutrition plan and scientific support under Hillier helped him rebuild his body and return stronger.Equally significant has been his mental evolution. Gurindervir admitted that a year ago, sudden fame and media attention often overwhelmed him. “If you had met the Gurindervir of last year, he would have been stressed. I used to think about interviews and expectations all the time. My coach helped me understand how to handle attention and stay focused on performance. Now I don’t take unnecessary pressure. I am a stress-free person,” he said.His rivalry with fellow sprinter Animesh Kujur has added a new dimension to Indian sprinting. The pair exchanged the national record three times within 24 hours before Gurindervir emerged on top with his 10.09-second run.“Outside the track we are friends and often roommates. On the track, we are rivals. It is healthy competition because we push each other to improve.”Despite the growing recognition, Gurindervir’s sacrifices continue. He has not returned home for over a year, determined to achieve bigger goals before celebrating. “My family keeps asking me to come home. I tell them I won’t return empty-handed. I want to bring something special back.”.
