Indian hurdler Tejas Ashok Shirse secured a spot in the men’s 110m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 by finishing third in his heat with a time of 13.76 seconds. This performance granted him automatic qualification, ensuring India’s chance for a track medal. Despite not matching his personal best time, Shirse’s run was sufficient to advance directly to the final without relying on timings.
The qualification process included two heats, with the top three finishers from each race moving on to the final, along with the next two fastest athletes overall. Shirse’s successful finish among the top three secured his place in the final without the need to consider timings. He will compete in the medal race scheduled for 2:15 AM IST on Tuesday (July 28).
India’s athletics contingent had a positive day, with long jumper Murali Sreeshankar also advancing to the men’s long jump final by surpassing the automatic qualification standard with an opening leap of 8.01 meters. Sreeshankar, the Birmingham 2022 silver medallist, needed just one attempt to secure his spot in the final, entering the medal round with the best season’s mark in the field.
In contrast, national record-holder Gurindervir Singh faced disappointment in the men’s 100m event, failing to progress beyond the heats. Despite clocking 10.39 seconds to finish second in his heat, Gurindervir ranked 28th overall, missing out on a semi-final berth as only the top 17 athletes advanced. However, India’s athletics campaign gained momentum with Shirse and Sreeshankar emerging as the country’s top contenders on the track and in the field.
Shirse, now a leading hope for India, aims to deliver his best performance of the season in the final, striving to secure a place on the Commonwealth Games podium.
