Indian sprinter who ran 100m in 11 seconds eyes Bolt's world record

"Usain Bolt made a world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100 metres race. I am hopeful of breaking it after getting facilities and proper training," said Rameshwar Gurjar.

Published : Aug 18, 2019 20:28 IST

Rameshwar Gurjar comes from a farmers' family in Narwar village of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh.
Rameshwar Gurjar comes from a farmers' family in Narwar village of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh.
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Rameshwar Gurjar comes from a farmers' family in Narwar village of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh.

A video of 19-year-old runner Rameshwar Gurjar completing a 100-metre lap in 11 seconds went viral on social media last week.

Gurjar, who comes from a farmers’ family in Narwar village of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh, has expressed optimism of breaking Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s world record if he gets proper training.

After watching the video, state Sports Minister Jitu Patwari had invited him to Bhopal last week. Talking to reporters after meeting the minister, Gurjar said.

"Usain Bolt made a world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100 metres race. I am hopeful of breaking it after getting facilities and proper training."

Gurjar also said that he has been practising 100 metres run for the past six months, after making a failed attempt to join the Army as he could not fulfil the minimum height requirement.

“I was completing 100-metre race in little over 12 seconds (earlier), but brought down the time to 11 seconds after practising for six months,” he said, adding that he had to face physical problems due to poor diet.

On Friday, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan had taken to Twitter to share Gurjar’s video and Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju had on Saturday assured support to the runner.

 

Gurjar is expected to give a trial and tests at the MP State Sports Academy during his stay in Bhopal. MP sports minister Patwari assured training and other facilities to him.

“The rural talent will be selected through state Olympics and they will be provided all essential facilities in the Sports Academy. Apart from this, players will be identified through sports competitions in schools in coordination with the School Education Department,” Patwari said.

Gurjar has studied up to Class 10 and could not go to college due to his family’s weak financial condition.

The current men’s world record in the 100-metre race is 9.58 seconds, set by Usain Bolt in 2009.

The national record is 10.26 seconds, set by Amia Kumar Malik in 2016, as per the Athletics Federation of India website.

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