India’s Animesh Kujur electrified the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, South Korea, by clinching a bronze medal in the men’s 200m sprint, clocking an astonishing 20.32 seconds.
In a fiercely competitive race, Kujur finished behind Japan’s Towa Uzawa and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Abdu Atafi, rewriting the national record and marking a historic feat in Indian athletics.
Having previously held the record at 20.40 seconds—achieved during the Federation Cup earlier this year—Kujur’s latest performance cements his status as one of India’s fastest sprinters. He becomes only the second Indian to secure a medal in the 200m event at the Asian Championships, following in the footsteps of Dharambir Singh, who won bronze in 2015.
With this triumph, Kujur has contributed India’s 19th medal in the prestigious event, placing the country second in the overall medal tally with eight golds, seven silvers, and four bronzes.
India’s female sprinters, Jyoti Yarraji and Nithya Gandhe, also showcased commendable performances in the women’s 200m event but narrowly missed a podium finish. Meanwhile, China continues to dominate the leaderboard, with sprinter Chen Yujie securing gold in the women’s race.
Kujur’s incredible achievement reaffirms India’s rising stature in Asian athletics, inspiring future generations of sprinters and adding yet another milestone to the country’s sports legacy.
