Imranur retains supremacy, Shirin bounces back

Sprinter Imranur Rahman, the England-based Bangladesh-origin athlete, maintained his supremacy in the men’s 100m, while Shirin Akter followed her Bangladesh Navy teammate by reclaiming the women’s 100m title on the opening day of the 49th National Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Imranur clocked 10.58 seconds to win the gold medal, improving by 0.06 seconds from his time at last year’s Summer Athletics Championship. However, his timing was still 0.29 seconds slower than his best local mark of 10.29 seconds, set in 2022.

The Bangladesh Athletics Federation, however, recognises Imranur’s personal best as 10.11 seconds, recorded during a competition at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London in 2023.

The 32-year-old Imranur looked sharper on the track compared to his recent appearances, having benefited from quality preparation in England after recovering from a long-term injury that kept him out of competition for almost one and a half years before his return at the 2025 Summer Athletics Championships.

“I always try to deliver my best performance, though you cannot always maintain peak form, and we have to accept that as athletes. This time the performance was good, and I believe I can do even better in the future,” Imranur said after crossing the finish line.

The England-based sprinter is now looking ahead to upcoming competitions such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and South Asian Games.

“I am taking it step by step, focusing on my training and race programmes. I will try my best to get quality training, because if I can train well, the performance will naturally follow. However, consistency in training is essential. I hope to deliver strong performances in the upcoming events,” said Imranur, adding that timing is not always as crucial as finishing position in championship races.

Reflecting on his long injury layoff, the champion sprinter said, “Mentally, I just try to run while staying healthy. Psychologically, this injury affected me for about one and a half to two years. It took time to prepare myself mentally. Everything feels fine during training, but injuries often happen during high-stakes performances because the intensity and adrenaline can sometimes be overwhelming. But Alhamdulillah, I am feeling fine at the moment.”

Asked whether he ever feared losing a race in Bangladesh – given that he has never been beaten by a local athlete since he began competing domestically – Imranur said, “Of course, I have deep respect for my fellow athletes. They are extraordinary sportspeople. But I always believe in myself as an athlete, and I believe that I can win. I have that confidence.”

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ismail of Bangladesh Navy won silver with a time of 10.86 seconds, while Nayeem Islam of Bangladesh Army claimed bronze in 10.91 seconds.

Shirin regains title
 

In the women’s event, Shirin regained the title of fastest woman in the country after clocking 12.10 seconds, finishing 0.15 seconds ahead of silver medallist Sharifa Khatun. Rakha Akter secured bronze with a time of 12.34 seconds.

Shirin had lost her crown to Sumaiya Dewan at the 2025 Summer Athletics Championships, finishing 0.3 seconds behind, but this time she improved her timing to claim her 17th fastest woman title.

Sharifa Khatun of Bangladesh Army finished second in 12.25 seconds, while her teammate Rakha Akter took bronze in 12.34 seconds.

“I have now become the fastest woman in Bangladesh in the 100 metres for the 17th time. That is the most fulfilling part for me, and it brings me immense joy,” said Shirin, giving credit to her coach, family, university, and Bangladesh Navy.

“Honestly, I had momentarily forgotten that I am married. But truly, he supports me immensely. He is a basketball player for the Bangladesh national team and is currently serving in the Air Force. My husband has been incredibly supportive. I have also gained another family through him, and they are wonderfully supportive as well,” said Shirin, adding that she plans to pursue a PhD abroad.