Neil Samraj ran 10.46 at 17. His reaction tells you everything

In the National Youth Athletics Championships held in Ludhiana, 17-year-old Neil Samraj ran impressively, breaking the national record twice within an hour. He clocked 10.53 seconds in the semifinals and further improved to 10.46 seconds in the final, but felt he fell short of lowering the record further due to being under the weather.

The target was a sub-10.40 finish, but Neil achieved 10.46, which is still a remarkable performance considering his illness. Neil's coach, Velmurugan Paul Raj, has been instrumental in his development over the past four years, helping him focus on sprinting and work on his technique, particularly in the crucial first 30 meters. James Hillier, the Athletics Director at Reliance Foundation, aims to see Neil consistently run at 10.40 seconds as he transitions to the senior level and strives for Olympic success.

Neil's openness to coaching and ambition to learn are qualities Hillier admires, and he remains confident in Neil's ability to reach the starting line and let his preparation and faith in God determine his performance on the track.