Since the rules require three participants to come to the start for the race to be officially counted, Kumar did not get a medal. He ran to the finish line alone in 11.6 in a victory that doesn't count. Even if he feels like a moral winner.
"After I finished the race, so many athletes and coaches congratulated me. They know I'm a pure runner. No matter who wins in the future, I can always hold my head high," he told Indian Sportstar.
20-year-old Kumar made a stand against the widespread doping in Indian sport. According to a report published by Wada in May, India is the worst doping country after Russia globally.
"It's something fishy"
When the rumor went that doping control officers from the country's anti-doping agency, NADA, would appear, the entire field except Kumar disappeared in the 100 meters and several other athletes, among them several medalists, disappeared in other events.
The New Delhi Athletics Federation has now notified NADA of the names of those who were missing so that they can be tested afterwards.
"When seven runners drop out, it's something fishy," Sandeep Mehta of the New Delhi Athletics Federation told Reuters.
The 20-year-old Kumar competed in his first competition at senior level and is disappointed with his older competitors who he believes should set an example for the younger ones.
"Even at school, coaches told me I had to take anabolic steroids, but my father has always told me to race clean and I've listened to him and want to show that it's possible," says Kumar, who has a personal best of 11.18 in the 100 meters.