New Delhi, May 17 -- In a landmark domestic feat, four of India's fastest sprinters recently shattered the men's 4x100m national record, which had stood unbroken for 15 years. Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Amlan Borgohain, and Manikanta Hoblidhar clocked a blistering 38.69 seconds at the India Open Relays, sending ripples through the Indian athletics circuit. All four represented the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RSF) in Chandigarh, and the new national record now stands in the name of RSF. The feat, though, also symbolised a shift in Indian athletics. For the first time, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has opened domestic competitions to private sports organisations, allowing the likes of RSF and JSW Sports to field their teams. RSF is the non-profit arm of Reliance Industries, and JSW Sports is backed by the steel giants. They train their athletes at respective elite state-of-the-art high-performance centres. Domestic meets this season have seen participation from state associations, public sector units, corporate-backed foundations, and even Sports Authority of India's NCOE centres (Indian Relays meet) - making for a diverse and competitive structure. The AFI believes the new model will elevate the level of competition and compel states to upgrade their facilities and increase support for athletes. "We wanted to try something different this Olympic cycle," said AFI spokesperson and former president Adille Sumariwalla. "Athletes can now train wherever they choose and compete in domestic events. This should also motivate states to step up. Tamil Nadu, for instance, already has a foreign coach. Other states might follow suit." This change comes in the wake of India's underwhelming performance at the Paris Olympics, where only Neeraj Chopra managed to shine, winning a second consecutive Olympic medal. The rest of the contingent largely disappointed. In the changing scenario, RSF athletes have broken three national records - 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay. Gurindervir clocked 10.20s to set a new 100m record, Kujur smashed the 200m mark with 20.40s, and the quartet of Gurindervir, Animesh, Amlan, and Manikanta combined for the relay record. These achievements come after years of planning at RSF's high-performance centres in Odisha, and now in Mumbai, focussed on sprinters. "A lot of planning and effort has gone into this. Back in 2019, a 10.5s sprint could win you the 100m. Now, 10.45s may not get you to the final. That's significant progress in five to six years," James Hillier, RSF's athletics director, told HT. The ripple effect is being felt across the circuit. "Even athletes whom we don't coach have started pushing the boundaries. There's a belief that 'yes, we can run 10.2s.' That mindset didn't exist before," Hillier added. At the Federation Cup, Pranav Pramod Gurav of Railways won the 100m in 10.27s, with Animesh (10.32s) and Manikanta (10.35s) close behind. The momentum carried into the UAE Grand Prix, where the men's 4x100m team clocked 38.76s to set a new meet record. Animesh continued his stellar run, timing 20.45s in the 200m. It's an encouraging build-up to the Asian Championships in South Korea later this month, where Indian sprinters are eyeing a podium finish. Given their form, all four sprinters from RSF are part of India's relay team, and Hillier has been appointed to lead the squad. Hillier has also been credited with backing talents like Jyothi Yarraji, who has risen to prominence and clinched a silver medal in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Games....