Kujur clocked 10.36 seconds to finish third in Heat 1, while Gurindervir stopped the clock at 10.38 seconds to finish second in Heat 4. Both advanced to the semifinals, keeping India’s hopes alive in one of the most eagerly anticipated athletics events of the Games.
For Kujur, the heat was less about chasing a spectacular time and more about getting the job done.
Speaking exclusively to NNIS Sports, the 200m national record holder described the qualifying race as easy and immediately shifted his focus to the next round.
His target is clear: 10.01 seconds in the semifinal.
That ambition reflects the confidence Kujur has carried through a season in which he has repeatedly established himself among India’s fastest sprinters. He clocked 10.14 seconds earlier this year, the fastest 100m time by an Indian on foreign soil, while also continuing to hold the national record in the 200m.
The semifinal, however, will demand considerably more. Thailand’s Puripol Boonson produced a stunning 9.95 seconds to win Kujur’s heat, with China’s Zeng Keli finishing second in 10.22.
Kujur has repeatedly spoken about enjoying the increased competition in the 100m this season, particularly his battles with Gurindervir. After winning both the 100m and 200m at the Indian Athletics Final Series in New Delhi earlier this month, he said the repeated competition had made him enjoy the 100m even more.
Gurindervir, meanwhile, looked equally comfortable in his opening-round assignment.
The Punjab sprinter finished second in Heat 4 in 10.38 seconds, behind Oman’s Malham Al Balushi, who ran 10.29.
For Gurindervir, the opening round was an opportunity to settle into the atmosphere of his first Asian Games 100m campaign after a demanding season.
“I was enjoying myself,” Gurindervir said after qualifying, making it clear that he was embracing the occasion rather than allowing the pressure of the Asian Games to overwhelm him.
The national record holder has been preparing for this moment for a long time. Earlier this year, he became the first Indian to break 10.10 seconds in the 100m, clocking a national-record 10.09 seconds at the Federation Cup in Ranchi.
That mark has placed him firmly among Asia’s leading sprinters, but the Asian Games field is loaded with quality. Japan’s Yuki Koike has a 9.98-second personal best, Shuhei Tada has run 10.01, while Thailand’s Boonson has already gone below 10 seconds this season.
Gurindervir, however, has insisted that the Indian pair belong in the conversation.
The focus now shifts to the semifinals, where the intensity will rise sharply and every hundredth of a second could matter.
For Kujur, the target is already set: 10.01.
For Gurindervir, it is about enjoying the moment while finally showing what months of preparation can produce on the biggest Asian stage.
Two Indians. One semifinal. And a serious shot at making the 100m final.