New Delhi: Gurindervir Singh, who has become the first Indian to clock sub-10.10 seconds in the men’s 100m sprint, holds the rank of a petty officer in the Indian Navy.Congratulating the Navyman, Indian Navy said in a post on X, “THE FASTEST MAN IN INDIA WEARS WHITES. Gurindervir Singh, Petty Officer of the Indian Navy scripts history by setting a NEW NATIONAL RECORD in the 100m sprint with a sensational timing of 10.09 seconds at the ongoing 29th National Federation Cup Athletics Championships at Ranchi. With this remarkable performance, he has also qualified for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games 2026.“Indian Navy salutes the spirit, speed and dedication of our champion sprinter. Fair winds. Fast feet,” the post further said. In the Indian Navy, a petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer rank, being equivalent to a havildar in the Indian Army.Gurindervir is not the first athlete from the armed forces to earn laurels. Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh was also associated with the Indian military. Milkha Singh joined the Indian Army in 1951 after three failed attempts. Recruited as a sepoy in Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, it was during his rigorous military training in Secunderabad that his athletic talent was discovered, propelling him to become an international sporting icon.Lauding Gurindervir’s achievements, Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a post on X on Sunday, “10.09 seconds! Gurindervir Singh, you have rewritten history. The entire nation is incredibly proud of you!”
