Animesh Kujur finishes ninth in men's 200m qualification at World Athletics Championships 2025
(Courtesy :Â Screengrab JioHotstar)
Animesh Kujur holds the national record in Men’s 200m sprint at 20.32s.
Animesh Kujur crashed out of the ongoing World Athletics Championships 2025 after failing to book his spot in the semi-finals of men’s 200m in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old, who holds the national record in men’s 200m at 20.32s, finished ninth in his heats and 42nd overall among 52 participants with a timing of 20.77s.
Kujur, India’s fastest man and owner of both men’s 100m & 200m NRs, looked far from his best and finished last in his heats despite a quick head start.
Also Read: India at World Athletics Championships 2025 Day 5 Live Updates
Only the top three finishers from each heat automatically advanced to the semi-finals. The remaining spots in the semi-finals were filled by the six fastest athletes who did not secure an automatic qualifying position. The direct qualification mark for the event was 20.16s.
Kenneth Bednarek was the fastest in heat 3, securing direct qualification for the finals with a timing of 19.98s. The other two sprinters, who achieved the direct qualification mark were Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike of Nigeria with 20.27s and South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile who clocked the same timing of 20.27s.
However, even before going in action in Tokyo, Animesh Kujur has had scripted history in Indian athletics by becoming the first male Indian sprinter to compete at the World Athletics Championships.
He qualified for the Worlds via the rankings system where he held 41st place with 1220 points. Top 48 athletes in the World Rankings qualified for the event in Tokyo.
Also Read: Neeraj Chopra qualifies for men’s javelin throw final at World Athletics Championships 2025
On the other side of the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, Neeraj Chopra carried India’s hope for a medal by qualifying for the javelin finals in his first attempt with a throw of 84.75m.
Did Animesh Kujur qualify for 200m semi-finals?
No, Animesh finished 9th in his heat and 41st overall with a timing of 20.77s, falling short of the semi-final qualification.
What is Animesh Kujur’s personal best and national record?
Animesh holds the Indian national record in the men’s 200m with a timing of 20.32s.
How did Animesh qualify for the World Athletics Championships?
He qualified through the World Rankings system, holding 41st place with 1,220 points. The top 48 athletes earned spots for Tokyo.
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Uzma Fatima is a passionate sports journalist who believes every match has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the grace of Olympic champions, the grit of tennis and badminton battles, or the drama of cricket’s highs and heartbreaks — she loves capturing the emotion behind the action. Off the field, she’s a Formula 1 enthusiast who never misses a race weekend.
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