Animesh Kujur reveals reason why he missed 200m final at Commonwealth Games 2026
Animesh Kujur was not part of the top 8 who qualified
India’s Animesh Kujur suffered a disappointing exit from the men’s 200m semi-final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Thursday, Jul 30. The 23-year-old national record holder finished sixth in the second semi-final with a time of 20.65 seconds, failing to seal a place in the final.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: Updated medal tally after Day 7, July 30
Kujur entered the tournament as one of India’s strongest medal contenders in athletics. However, his performance at the Scotstoun Stadium was a far cry from his personal best and national record of 20.32 seconds. He only managed to be the 16th-fastest athlete among the 24 semi-finalists. Only the top eight athletes qualified for the final.
The Indian sprinter blamed the lane assigned to him for his subpar results, having run in lane one in the semi-final. The second semi-final was won by Ghana’s Joseph Paul Amoah, who clocked 20.24 seconds.
“I prepared for this since last year, and I am happy with my performance here. It’s okay; the final (qualification) didn’t happen. I think if I had gotten a different lane, it would have been better,” Kujur told Nnis Sport.
“Lane matters in the 200m. According to my height, the first lane is very sharp. You can’t open the stride as well in the first and second lanes.”
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 8 (July 31)
Asian Games mixed relay now priority
Following his exit from the CWG 2026, Kujur has shifted his focus to the upcoming Asian Games 2026, which will take place from September 19 to October 5 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
“The Asian Games is coming, so my focus is not on getting a medal…” he said. “Our main target is to prepare for the mixed relay in the Asian Games, because we have a good chance of getting a medal.”
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026 (CWG) Day 8 Live Updates
Having won a bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championships 2026 in Gumi, South Korea, Kujur will be aiming for his maiden Asian Games medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Where and when will Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?
The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
How did Animesh Kujur perform in men’s 200m at CWG 2026?
He finished sixth in the second semi‑final with a time of 20.65s, missing out on qualification for the final.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.