Indian athletics created history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Yashas Palaksha and T. Santhosh both qualified for the men’s 400m hurdles final, marking the first time that two Indian athletes have reached the event final at the Commonwealth Games.

Both hurdlers produced composed performances in the semifinals to secure their places in the medal race. T. Santhosh clocked 49.51s, while Yashas Palaksha followed closely with 49.65s, ensuring India will have two representatives in one of the Games’ most competitive track events.

Although neither athlete matched the personal bests they set in their previous competition, both did enough to progress comfortably to the championship final. Yashas enters the final with a lifetime best of 49.00s, the second-fastest performance in Indian history, while Santhosh owns a personal best of 49.06s, making him India’s third-fastest 400m hurdler of all time.

The qualification of both athletes reflects the rapid rise of Indian men’s 400m hurdles in recent years. Their breakthrough performances this season have elevated them into the country’s all-time rankings, and they have now translated that form onto one of the biggest stages in international athletics.

The achievement is particularly significant as this is the first time in Commonwealth Games history that India will have two athletes competing in the men’s 400m hurdles final. It highlights the growing depth in the event and underlines the progress made by Indian quarter-milers and hurdlers on the international circuit.

With their places in the final secured, both Yashas and Santhosh will now shift their focus to the medal race. Armed with lifetime bests below 49.10 seconds and the confidence of reaching a historic final together, the Indian duo will be aiming to produce their best performances when they return to the track.

The historic qualification adds another memorable chapter to India’s athletics campaign in Glasgow and provides fresh optimism ahead of the men’s 400m hurdles final.

Indian hurdler Tejas Ashok Shirse booked his place in the men’s 110m hurdles final at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, finishing third in Heat 1 with a time of 13.76 seconds.

Shirse came into the competition as one of the favourites in his heat, having entered the Games with a season’s best and personal best of 13.27 seconds, the fastest mark among all eight athletes in his race.

Drawn in Lane 7, the Indian lined up against a competitive field featuring Jeremie Lararaudeuse of Mauritius (SB 13.43/PB 13.31), Jerome Campbell of Jamaica (SB 13.33/PB 13.23), Samuel Bennett of England (SB/PB 13.41), Roshan Dhammika Ranatunge of Sri Lanka (13.73), Khalilan Vitalis of Saint Lucia (13.59), Robert Oa of Papua New Guinea (14.40) and Errol Bernard Qaqa of Fiji (PB 14.79).

Under the qualification rules, the top three finishers from each of the two heats earned automatic qualification for the final, with the next two fastest athletes overall also advancing on time. Shirse ensured there was no need to rely on the time qualifiers, securing one of the three automatic qualifying spots by finishing third.

Although well outside his season’s best of 13.27 seconds, the primary objective was qualification, and the Indian hurdler successfully progressed to the medal race.

Shirse will now look to improve on his semifinal performance and challenge for a podium finish when the Commonwealth Games men’s 110m hurdles final takes place later in Glasgow.

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India will field an exciting duo in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with Yashas Palaksha and T. Santhosh carrying the nation’s hopes in one of the most competitive track events in Glasgow.

Both athletes have enjoyed breakthrough seasons in 2026, producing career-best performances that have elevated them into the upper ranks of Commonwealth contenders. Yashas Palaksha has clocked a lifetime best of 49.00s, while T. Santhosh has followed closely with 49.06s. These performances rank as India’s second-fastest and third-fastest men’s 400m hurdles times of all time, underlining the rapid progress made by the pair.

Among athletes selected for the Commonwealth Games, Yashas is ranked 10th this season, while Santhosh occupies 12th position. The season rankings are headed by Assinie Wilson of Jamaica with 48.29s, followed by Kemorena Tisang of Botswana at 48.32s, Dennick Luke of Great Britain with 48.37s, and Australia’s Jake Minshull, who has recorded 48.53s. Great Britain’s Seamus Derbyshire (48.71s) and Kenya’s Kipkorir Rotich (48.99s) are also among the leading contenders heading into the Games.

Although the competition promises to be fierce, India’s representatives have shown consistent improvement throughout the season. Their ability to break the 49.10-second barrier reflects the growing standard of Indian men’s 400m hurdles and provides optimism ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

The inclusion of only athletes who have been officially selected by their respective countries offers a realistic picture of the field that will compete in Glasgow. Within that group, both Yashas and Santhosh have established themselves as capable finalists with the potential to challenge the leading athletes.

As they prepare for the biggest competition of their season, Yashas Palaksha and T. Santhosh will look to build on their breakthrough campaigns and translate their career-best performances into success on the Commonwealth stage.

The men’s 400m hurdles final at the 65th Interstate Athletics Championships 2026 produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the competition, as Palaksha Yashas and T. Santhosh crossed the finish line together in a breathtaking photo finish.

After a fiercely contested race, both athletes were credited with an identical time of *49.14 seconds*, underlining just how evenly matched they were over the full lap of hurdles. The razor-thin margin made for one of the highlights of the championships, with the winner determined only after the photo finish was reviewed.

The result carried even greater significance as *both Yashas and Santhosh comfortably breached the Asian Games qualification standard*, sealing their places for the continental showpiece with outstanding performances.

The race showcased the growing quality and depth in Indian men’s 400m hurdles, with two athletes pushing each other to exceptional times under pressure. Their head-to-head battle not only entertained the crowd but also demonstrated the rising standards in an event that has become one of India’s strongest on the track.

With both Palaksha Yashas and T. Santhosh securing qualification, India will head into the Asian Games with multiple contenders capable of competing at the highest level. Their thrilling duel at the Interstate Championships will be remembered as one of the standout races of the meet and a major boost for Indian athletics.

India’s national record holder Tejas Shirse made a strong statement at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, clocking 13.43 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles heats to comfortably breach the Asian Games qualification standard and advance to the final as the fastest qualifier.

Shirse’s performance was the quickest across all heats, underlining his status as the country’s premier hurdler and one of India’s strongest medal prospects in the event heading into the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.

The qualification mark had been one of the key targets for athletes competing at the Inter-State Championships, the final major domestic opportunity to secure standards for international selection. Shirse achieved that goal with authority, producing a controlled run that saw him comfortably progress to the final while also ticking off the Asian Games requirement.

The Maharashtra hurdler has been on a remarkable upward trajectory over the past two seasons. Earlier this year, he rewrote the Indian record books by becoming the first Indian man to run under 13.50 seconds in the 110m hurdles, setting a new national record and establishing himself among Asia’s elite hurdlers.

His rise has been particularly significant for Indian athletics, where the men’s sprint hurdles has historically lacked the depth and international success enjoyed by some of the country’s field events and distance disciplines. Shirse’s breakthrough performances have changed that narrative, giving India a genuine contender on the continental stage.

At just 23 years of age, the hurdler has consistently improved his technique, speed between hurdles and race execution, transforming himself from a promising talent into a national record holder capable of challenging the best athletes in Asia.

The performance in Bhubaneswar also comes at an important stage of the season. With the Asian Games qualification standard secured, Shirse can now focus on building towards the major championships ahead while fine-tuning his form for international competition.

Although the heats were primarily about securing qualification for the final, Shirse’s time served notice to the rest of the field. No athlete ran faster across the preliminary rounds, making him the overwhelming favourite heading into the medal race.

For now, however, the immediate objective has been achieved.

Fastest in the heats. Asian Games qualification secured. And one step closer to another national title.

Tejas Ashok Shirse produced the standout performance of the Indian Athletics Series–9, clocking a sensational 13.27 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles to set a new Indian National Record and achieve the qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The Maharashtra hurdler delivered a flawless race to improve his personal best and move into elite company in Asian athletics.

The performance earned him multiple milestones:

✅ New Indian National Record
✅ CWG 2026 Qualification Standard Achieved
✅ Lifetime Best – 13.27s
✅ Asia’s All-Time No. 14 Performer
✅ Asia’s Sixth-Fastest Time of the 2026 Season

Shirse’s 13.27s eclipsed the previous national record and further established him as India’s leading sprint hurdler. The timing also places him among the fastest athletes the continent has produced in the event.

The run continues a strong upward trajectory for the 23-year-old, who has steadily improved over the past few seasons through a series of national-level victories and international appearances. His latest performance represents a significant breakthrough, particularly in an event where Indian athletes have traditionally struggled to match the standards set by the world’s leading hurdle nations.

Beyond the national record, the timing comfortably cleared the qualification mark for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, strengthening his prospects for selection.

The result is also significant in the broader context of Indian athletics. Sprint hurdling has rarely produced continental-level performances from Indian athletes, making Shirse’s entry into the upper ranks of Asian all-time lists a notable achievement.

Reliance athlete Fasalul Haque delivered a sensational performance at the Indian Athletics Series–8, breaking the Indian U20 national record in the men’s 110m hurdles with a lifetime best of 13.61 seconds.

The young hurdler eclipsed the previous national record mark and continued the remarkable rise in standards that Indian junior hurdling has witnessed over the past year.

Adding further depth to the event, Sandeep, who finished second, also clocked a time faster than the previous national record, highlighting the growing competitiveness of the discipline among India’s emerging athletes.

According to Athletics Federation of India records, the previous U20 national record of 13.69 seconds was set by Yuvaraj S at the Junior Federation Cup last year. However, that mark had already been surpassed earlier this season when Kiran K clocked 13.66 seconds at the Junior Federation Cup.

Fasalul’s 13.61s now establishes a new national benchmark and further cements his status as one of India’s most promising sprint hurdlers.

The progression of the event over the last 12 months has been particularly striking. In the span of just one year, four different athletes have collectively produced six performances faster than the old national record of 13.69 seconds. During that period, the national record itself has been improved three separate times, underlining the rapid evolution of men’s junior hurdling in India.

India’s national record holder Tejas Shirse continued his impressive run on the international circuit, clinching the silver medal in the men’s 110m hurdles at the New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.

In a thrillingly close final, Shirse clocked 13.58 seconds to finish second, missing out on gold by the narrowest of margins. Chinese Taipei’s 20-year-old Hsieh Yuan-kai produced a stunning run to take top honours in 13.57 seconds, with just 0.01 seconds separating the two athletes at the finish line.

The result adds another strong international performance to Shirse’s growing résumé as he continues to establish himself as one of Asia’s leading hurdlers.

The Maharashtra athlete has been India’s premier 110m hurdler over the last two seasons. In May 2024, he rewrote the national record books when he clocked 13.41 seconds at the Motonet Grand Prix in Finland, breaking Siddhanth Thingalaya’s seven-year-old national mark of 13.48 seconds.

Since then, Shirse has enjoyed a remarkable rise. He has dominated the domestic circuit, winning three consecutive National Games gold medals and setting a new Games record of 13.65 seconds at the 2025 edition in Dehradun. Earlier that year, he also broke the Indian national record in the 60m hurdles indoors, underlining his growing consistency across formats.

The 23-year-old’s journey has not been without challenges. After suffering an injury setback earlier this year, Shirse returned to competition in May and immediately reminded everyone of his quality by clocking 13.43 seconds in Chennai, just 0.02 seconds outside his own national record. The performance came after only a few weeks of training following a four-month injury layoff.

Born in Aurangabad to a farming family with no sporting background, Shirse transformed from a talented junior athlete into the country’s fastest-ever sprint hurdler

Yashas Palaksha becomes India’s all-time 2nd fastest in men’s 400m hurdles!

Karnataka’s Yashas Palaksha breached the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard, clocking a stunning 49.00s at Federation Cup 2026.

 With this performance he became India’s all-time 2nd fastest 400m hurdler  Santhosh, who finished 2nd, also produced a massive run of 49.06s — now India’s 3rd fastest ever.

Till now, only one Indian had ever gone sub-49 seconds in men’s 400m hurdles:

National record holder Dharun Ayyasamy – 48.80s

 Tejas Ashok Shirse and Krishik M both clocked faster timings than the previous Federation Cup meet record in the men’s 110m hurdles final.

 Tejas Shirse – 13.50s  

Krishik M – 13.52s

This is now the second consecutive competition where the two finished extremely close.

At Indian Series-6, they were separated by just 0.01s.

It was also a breakthrough day for Muhammed Lazan, who registered back-to-back personal bests in both the heats and final.

He finished 3rd with 13.83s — going sub-14 seconds for the first time in his career.