Tejas Shirse Rewrites History with National Record as Harjit Singh Wins Men’s 100m Crown

The Indian Athletics Series–9 in Ludhiana turned into a memorable day for Indian track and field as Tejas Ashok Shirse produced one of the finest hurdle performances in the nation’s history while Harjit Singh continued his impressive sprinting season by clinching the men’s 100m title.

Shirse stole the spotlight by clocking a sensational 13.27 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles, shattering his own national record and comfortably breaching the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, Punjab’s Harjit Singh lived up to expectations on home soil, sprinting to victory in the 100m in 10.33 seconds to further cement his status among India’s fastest men.

Indian hurdling reached another milestone as Tejas Shirse delivered the race of his life. The 23-year-old stormed to the finish line in 13.27 seconds, improving significantly on his previous national record of 13.41 seconds and establishing a new benchmark for Indian athletics. The performance not only earned him victory but also secured qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games by comfortably surpassing the required standard.

The run represented the culmination of years of steady progress and technical refinement. Competing with confidence from the gun, Shirse displayed exceptional rhythm between the hurdles and maintained impressive speed throughout the race to produce a time that places him firmly among Asia’s leading hurdlers this season.

The achievement carried multiple milestones. With his 13.27-second effort, Tejas set a new Indian national record in the men’s 110m hurdles, registered a new lifetime best performance & successfully achieved the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The mark also strengthens India’s position in an event that has seen rapid improvement in recent years, reflecting the growing competitiveness of the country’s sprint hurdles programme.

For Tejas, the performance is expected to provide a major confidence boost ahead of future international competitions, where consistency at this level could see him challenge some of Asia’s elite athletes.

While Shirse dominated the hurdles, Punjab’s Harjit Singh underlined his credentials as one of India’s premier sprinters by winning the men’s 100m title in 10.33 seconds. The victory adds another impressive chapter to what has already been an outstanding season for Harjit. Earlier this year, he clocked a personal best of 10.32 seconds and also registered an even quicker 10.17 seconds, although that performance was aided by an illegal tailwind of +2.1 m/s and therefore could not be recognised for record purposes.

His latest 10.33-second effort demonstrates that his earlier performances were no fluke and that he has established himself as a consistent contender at the national level.

Harjit’s rise comes at an exciting time for Indian sprinting, with several athletes pushing each other to faster times. Fans can now look forward to potential matchups featuring Harjit alongside national record holder Gurindervir Singh and 200m national record holder Animesh Kujur, contests that could further elevate standards in Indian sprinting.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/athletics-federation-of-india-to-launch-inaugural-indian-athletic-awards-on-june-20

The healthy competition among the country’s leading sprinters is expected to play a crucial role in driving performances lower and increasing India’s competitiveness on the continental stage.

The performances of Tejas Shirse and Harjit Singh reflect the broader progress being made across Indian athletics. In recent weeks, athletes have consistently delivered national records, personal bests and Commonwealth Games qualification marks in multiple disciplines, ranging from hurdles and javelin to field events and middle-distance races.

Shirse’s breakthrough in the hurdles is particularly significant because technical events often require years of development before athletes reach their peak. His dramatic improvement suggests that Indian coaching systems and athlete preparation are producing encouraging results. Similarly, Harjit’s consistency below the 10.40-second mark indicates that Indian sprinting is developing greater depth, with multiple athletes now capable of competing at a high national standard.

Both athletes will now turn their attention to maintaining form ahead of future international assignments. For Tejas, having already secured the Commonwealth Games qualification standard, the challenge will be to continue refining his performances and build consistency against stronger international competition.

Harjit, meanwhile, remains one of the country’s leading sprint prospects and will aim to further lower his times as he pursues opportunities at major championships. With India investing heavily in athletics and domestic competitions producing increasingly competitive performances, both athletes appear well placed to play important roles in the nation’s future success.

The Indian Athletics Series–9 will be remembered as the meet where Tejas Ashok Shirse rewrote the record books and Harjit Singh reaffirmed his place among the country’s fastest men. Tejas’ electrifying 13.27-second run not only delivered a new national record but also demonstrated that Indian hurdling continues to move in the right direction. At the same time, Harjit’s 10.33-second victory showcased the growing strength of Indian sprinting.

As the countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Games gathers pace, performances like these provide optimism that Indian athletics is entering an exciting new phase, driven by athletes capable of producing world-class performances on home soil.