I thought I was unlucky in the 100m, but it's all about mindset: World Champion Simran Sharma

New Delhi: Star Indian sprinter Simran Sharma ended her 100m curse in front of a home crowd to clinch gold at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships on Friday.

After two disappointing 100m races in the last two major events, Simran bounced back strongly to become India’s first-ever 100m world champion.

"I always thought I was very unlucky in the 100m because every time some mishap occurred in this event, but it's all about mindset, and finally I won the 100m gold," Simran told the media after her historic triumph.

She had narrowly missed the podium in her previous major 100m races, finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics and facing disqualification at the 2024 World Championships in Kobe.

A Dream Come True

Simran also underwent a major change this year, switching her guide runner to Umar Saifi. The duo secured a significant victory in their very first competition together.

As a T12 athlete, Simran requires a guide runner to provide directional control and prevent lane infringements.

The 25-year-old had been aiming to break the 12-second barrier for the past three years. With her new guide, she finally achieved it, clocking a personal best of 11.95s to win gold.

"I told Umar before the race that breaking the sub-12 record was like a dream, and now that I know I’ve done it, it feels very special," Simran said, reflecting on her milestone.

Her performance improved progressively through the heats and semi-finals, culminating in a sub-12 time in the final.

"Your preparation always comes through in competition. My target was to better my time across the rounds, and I managed to do that," she added.

I felt like an army person

Having trained at this stadium for the past five to six years, Simran had one goal in mind: to win gold for India on home soil and hear the national anthem in her own backyard.

"It’s a proud moment to run for my country. I feel like an army person today and will be aiming to double this by winning the 200m gold," she said.

Simran also credited her pre-tournament preparation for the victory. "India didn’t have a Mondo track before, which is fast but can also be challenging. PCI allowed us to train here early to get our rhythm, which is one of the biggest reasons for this medal."

The competition isn’t over for Simran, who will next compete in the 200m, where she is the defending champion.

"This is just the beginning, and we’ll keep pushing forward. As Indians, we never lose hope," Simran said, expressing her national pride.