Tejas Shirse holds the men’s 110m hurdles national record, having clocked 13.27 seconds in 2026. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

National record holder Tejas Shirse says execution of his plans will be the key as the 110m hurdler targets a medal in the upcoming Asian Games in September-October.

The 24-year-old, representing Maharashtra, clinched the 110m hurdles gold in 13.61 seconds, comfortably eclipsing the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualifying time of 13.63 seconds.

“Asian Games medal is a realistic target, I’m going to perform. Execution is going to be the key,” said Shirse whose national record stands at 13.27 seconds which he set in Ludhiana in the Indian Athletics series just a few days ago.

“I’m on the 5th (6th) position in Asia right now, according to the timings. I want to do my best on that day (race day). And I’ll prepare for that.” Shirse has also been earlier named in the 32-member Indian athletics team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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He suffered an ankle injury early in the year and returned to action in May, before qualifying for the CWG and now for the Asian Games.

“This year, I faced a lot of injuries, but despite that, I tried to give everything, whatever I had. Obviously, without my team, I wouldn’t have been here. I just had a 2-month block. And I think we are ahead of the curve, where we had thought.

“13.27 second was not even in the plan. Commonwealth Games was not even in the plan. But then I could qualify, I could run. I would say, I went to the bottom of the sea and came back to the top. I mean, I had such a bad phase, it was at the lowest in my life,” he said about the injuries he had suffered.

“I started hating the word potential. Because I had so much potential and still it was like, what am I doing? So many injuries are happening. But I have come out as a different person, as a mature person. And I’m taking each day in stride.” He is targeting stronger competitions in Europe, with meets in Lausanne on July 16 and Budapest on July 18, as he looks to make a mark on the global stage.

“I want to compete there and test myself against the best in the world... In the Indian hurdles, you will see very soon that we will be on the world stage.

“Competing and not just being happy to be there... And if everything goes well, I will be there as a medal contender.” Shirse competed in the 2025 World Championships and failed to go past the heat stage, clocking 13.57 seconds.

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“I thought, I belong here. This is my stage, and I’m going to work hard.” He said he was inspired by American Paris Olympics 110m hurdles gold winner Grant Holloway whom he met during the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

“We had a small conversation, we used to meet at the tents. I said you’ve inspired me a lot, I’m really happy to compete with you. He was very appreciative of that. A lot of people don’t go like that. So, I showed courage and went to him.”

Published on Jun 27, 2026