‘I’ll break it again’: Meet Neil Samraj, the 17-year-old Tamil Nadu runner who broke the national 100m record

Neil Samraj is only 17 years old, but caution is not his preferred language. Hours after breaking the Indian U-18 100m record twice in one day, the Tamil Nadu athlete was already talking about entering the 10.3 second zone.

The confidence did not come from believing that his run of 10.46 seconds at the National Youth Athletics Championships in Ludhiana was perfect. It came from knowing that it wasn’t.

Neil first clocked 10.53 seconds in the semi-final, facing a headwind of 0.6 m/s, bettering the previous national mark of 10.63 set by Anshu Rajak in 2023. In the final, with the wind again marginally against the competitors, he lowered it by another seven hundredths of a second.

“There wasn’t enough time between the semi-finals and the final for me to fully recover,” he said. “I had a very strong start and ran the next 30 meters well, but I tightened up towards the end. With another good race, I’m confident I can run 10.3 seconds.” Sports stars.

It’s a big goal, but Neil doesn’t present it as a distant aspiration. His personal best was 10.59 from the Indian Athletics Series in Thiruvananthapuram in June. Less than three months later, he took another big step.

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When asked where this certainty came from, Neil pointed to the people around him.

“My family supports me a lot, and this gives me complete confidence. Coach Velmurugan’s guidance and support has also been wonderful. He has been with me in all situations,” he said.

This support system starts at home in Coimbatore. Neil’s father works in banking, while his mother works as a government school teacher. His elder sister Nidra was also a runner and won medals in the 100 meters event in Tamil Nadu state competitions.

Her involvement in athletics meant that the sport was already familiar to the family by the time Neil began to show an interest in running. He only started competing after entering ninth standard, initially treating school races as just a fun activity.

“I started simply running whenever there were competitions at school. Slowly, the interest kept growing. Since my sister was already involved in sports, it was easier for my family to understand when I told them that I wanted to take athletics seriously,” he added.

Understanding his ambition did not make the trip inexpensive. Before institutional support arrived, his parents had to cover travel, accommodation and other competition-related expenses for two young athletes.

Neil now splits his training between Reliance in Mumbai and his home city, but the distance hasn’t stopped coach Velmurugan (left) from participating. | Image source: special arrangement

“It was difficult, but they somehow managed everything for us,” he said. “They wanted us to reach the level we were aiming for. There were times when they had to borrow money or make other adjustments to our competitions.”

Neil met Velmurugan in 2020 while training at the Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore. What began as a traditional union of sports coaches gradually evolved into a close partnership, with Velmurugan taking responsibility for the technical work and wider planning of Neil’s development.

The arrangement became more complicated after the Reliance Foundation scouted Neil for the Junior School Nationals. He now divides his training between his location in Mumbai and his home city, but the distance has not stopped Velmurugan’s involvement.

“When I’m away, I receive my training program from him over the phone. I complete the sessions and send him the videos and timings. Then we discuss any issues the next morning. When I return to Coimbatore, he trains with me full-time,” Neil added.

The specialist support provided by the Reliance Foundation has complemented Velmurugan’s work and alleviated some of the financial pressures on the Neil family. It also provided the young man with access to a more structured training environment as he transitioned from emerging success to international competition.

His progress this season hasn’t exactly followed a straight line. Neil clocked 10.78 seconds at the Fed Junior Cup in April, and was still working on improving the physical and mental condition he wanted. By June, it had improved to 10.59.

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In August, Neil traveled to Eugene to participate in the IAAF World U20 Championships as part of India’s men’s 4x100m relay team. By running the anchor leg, he helped the foursome finish sixth in their heat with a time of 41.01 seconds. India didn’t advance, but the competition gave him an early lesson in performing on the world stage.

“The main thing I learned was how to deal with pressure and competition without allowing myself to get distracted. Just having the opportunity to go out there and watch other athletes and compete at that level was a great experience,” he said.

Qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar is now his immediate goal. Neil also competes in the 200m, although his program remains flexible, with Velmurugan adjusting training depending on his condition and upcoming competitions.

For an athlete who likes to set ambitious goals, Neil’s approach to racing remains simple.

He added: “What we did in training must be implemented on the track. It may not work perfectly every time, but then we have to correct it and learn. I will definitely break this record again.”

At 17, 10.46 is a testament to Neil’s progress rather than a guarantee of what lies ahead. He seems to understand the work that still needs to be done. He is also quite certain that India’s new Under-18 standard will not remain at its best for long.

Published on September 02, 2026