Tamil Nadu sprinter Neil Samraj breaks own U-18 100m national record

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu sprinter Neil Samraj improved his own Under-18 national record in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.45 seconds at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai on Friday [2, 5]. The 17-year-old from Coimbatore shaved off 0.01 seconds from the mark he set just two months prior, continuing his rapid ascent in Indian track and field [2, 4].

Samraj first broke the national record on September 1 at the National Youth Athletics Championships in Ludhiana, where he ran 10.46 seconds to surpass Anshu Rajak’s 2023 mark of 10.63 seconds [1, 4]. His latest performance in Chennai demonstrates consistent progress under the guidance of his coach, Velmurugan, who has been working with him since 2020 [2, 4]. The teenager now trains under the Reliance Foundation setup, splitting his time between Mumbai and his hometown.

Following his 10.45-second run, Samraj expressed confidence in his ability to drop further below the 10.40-second barrier before the season concludes. "I was expecting a better performance and definitely before the season ends, I will break the 10.40s barrier. There is Khelo India (Youth Games) and All-India Inter University meets later this year and I will get it done there," he said.

His time in Chennai was notably faster than the winning time in the men’s Under-20 category, where Savin Thingalaya was disqualified after a false start and P Chiranth claimed gold with 10.46 seconds. Samraj also represented India in the men’s 4x100m relay at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Eugene in August, running the anchor leg to help the quartet clock 41.01 seconds [1, 4].

Samraj’s transition from junior to senior competition marks a critical phase in his career. His coach indicated that the focus is shifting toward the senior category, noting, "We have started focusing in the senior category, and from next season, Neil will compete in the senior section. We are working towards that". Breaking into the 10.3-second territory, a target Samraj has publicly stated, would place him among the elite sprinters in the country and strengthen his bid for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.

The championships in Chennai also witnessed other notable performances on the opening day. Asian Games bronze medallist Abinaya Rajarajan set a meet record of 11.49 seconds in the women’s Under-20 100m, while Haryana’s Minakshi set a national record of 54.40m in the women’s Under-16 javelin throw [2, 5]. As Samraj looks toward the Khelo India Youth Games and his eventual senior debut, his trajectory suggests he will be a central figure in India’s sprinting ambitions.