Gurindervir Singh Through to Asian Games 100m Semi-Finals, Says He Will Run Faster

India's national-record holder Gurindervir Singh has advanced to the men's 100m semi-finals at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya after producing a controlled performance in his opening heat.

Competing at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, Gurindervir clocked 10.38 seconds to finish second in Heat 4. His top-three finish was enough to secure an automatic place in the semi-finals.

The Indian sprinter was beaten in the heat by Oman's Malham Al Balushi, who won in 10.29 seconds. Iran's Hassan Taftian finished third in 10.46 seconds.

Gurindervir Confident Ahead of the Next Round

Despite finishing second, Gurindervir made it clear that he was not treating the opening heat as his peak performance.

Speaking after qualifying, the Indian sprinter said:

"I will run faster in the latter rounds. This was the heats, and I got what I wanted."

His comment reflects his approach to the competition: qualify safely from the opening round and focus on producing a stronger performance when the stakes increase.

Two Indians in the 100m Semi-Finals

India's sprint campaign in Nagoya received another boost with Animesh Kujur also progressing to the semi-finals.

Kujur finished third in Heat 1 with a time of 10.36 seconds, securing one of the automatic qualifying spots. He produced a strong finish over the final stretch after being under pressure earlier in the race.

This means India will have two representatives in the men's 100m semi-finals, giving the country a significant presence in one of athletics' most closely followed events.

Gurindervir Carries National Record Credentials

Gurindervir enters the Asian Games with the distinction of holding India's men's 100m national record.

He ran 10.09 seconds, becoming the first Indian male sprinter to break the 10.10-second barrier. That performance has raised expectations around his performances on the international stage.

However, his opening-round timing in Nagoya was slower than his national-record mark. The 10.38-second run was nevertheless sufficient for automatic qualification from his heat.

Strong Competition in the 100m Field

The opening heats also highlighted the level of competition facing the Indian sprinters.

Thailand's Puripol Boonson produced the fastest performance among the heats, winning his race in 9.95 seconds. China's Keli Zeng was second in 10.22 seconds. Boonson's time was reported to be just 0.03 seconds outside the Asian Games record.

With several fast sprinters in the field, the semi-finals are expected to provide a tougher test for both Gurindervir and Kujur.

Semi-Finals Set for Friday

The men's 100m semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, September 25, with the Indian duo now preparing for the next stage of the competition.

The qualifying system allowed the top three athletes from each heat to advance directly, with six additional places available for the next fastest runners. Both Indian sprinters avoided the need to rely on the latter route by finishing inside the top three of their respective heats.

Focus Shifts to the Medal Rounds

For Gurindervir Singh, the opening round was about securing progression rather than chasing his fastest possible time.

His message after the race was straightforward: there is more speed to come.

With his national-record credentials and a place in the semi-finals secured, attention now turns to whether he can produce a faster performance when he returns to the track.

India will also look to Animesh Kujur as the two sprinters attempt to progress further in the men's 100m competition at the 2026 Asian Games.

The semi-finals will reveal whether Gurindervir can convert his confidence into another significant performance on the Asian Games stage.