Anil Kumar’s National Record Remains Unbroken Since 2000

Image: http://www.openthemagazine.com/

Either Anil Kumar Prakash is exception or we have simply not up great athletics on the track. Anil broke national record in 200m, he took 20.73 sec to finish at the National Circuit Athletic Meet held in Bangalore on 17 July 2000.  It took only one year for Anil to break previous record,  previous national record of 21.04 sec was in the name of Ajay Raj Singh, set in the Lucknow inter-State meet in 1999.

Anil Kumar on his record breaking attempt of 200m. Image: The Hindu

Anil is considered the fastest Indian and rightly so he maintains this record even after retiring in 2008, he also holds the record in 100m race and it remains unbroken since 2005. Albeit 100m record is now tied up with Abdul Najeeb Qureshi, he matched Anil’s performance in 2010.

Anil also had the privilege to represent India in 4 x 100 metres relay at 2000 Sydney Olympics where team clocked a time of 40.23 s in the first round and was positioned 7th.

These records haven’t come easily, he had to go through his own share of humiliations and struggle. In 2010 openthemagazine published a detailed article on this fastest Indian on earth.

The whole of 1996, Anil was determined to win because the previous year he had felt humiliated. He had gone for a Services meet and was not picked for the relay team. “The selectors could have given me a lap. They said I didn’t have experience.” What actually rankled was that an acquaintance, another runner from his native district of Alappuzha in Kerala, got a gold representing the Navy. “I told them that next year I will get a medal in an individual event. I got three golds. In the 100, 200 and 400 metres hurdles.” He also picked his first national championship gold that year.

Anil Kumar, born in Kerala took up decathlon in his college days and later started thinking of competing in the 400 m hurdles after seeing the success of P. T. Usha. His coach further pushed in 100m and 200m races.