Scroll through Tejas Shirse’s social media feed and you’ll find more than a national record holder you’ll discover a storyteller. The 22-year-old from Maharashtra, a rising force in Indian athletics, doesn’t just document his training or results.
He curates a narrative, one of grit, grind, and growth.
“I just try to express myself however I am,” Tejas says. “It’s really important for athletes to showcase who they are outside the sport. Not just medals and races.”
What began as a simple method for accountability filming his own workouts quickly turned into a medium of self-expression and education. “Then I found out people are really interested in what we do beyond training and races. And honestly, I enjoy the process shooting, editing, filmmaking.”
It’s this creative side that’s helped him connect with fans and fellow athletes alike. He even encouraged his friend and fellow Indian athlete Tejaswin Shankar to share more of his off-track life. “I told him, ‘Bro, you talk so well. If you don’t show this to people, it’s injustice.’”
The Record-Breaking Moment in Finland
That personal storytelling gained new weight in 2024, when Tejas shattered the Indian national record in the 110m hurdles, clocking an electric 13.41 seconds in Finland.
“When I crossed the finish line, I just wanted to run as hard and fast as possible,” he recalls. “I didn’t even care about the timing initially. But when I saw the clock, I knew I’d done it.”
Sprinters, he explains, know a good run not by numbers but by feel. “You don’t even need to see the clock. The body tells you, you flew.”
The Anatomy of a Race
According to Tejas, a race starts long before the gun goes off. “Race prep begins the day before,” he explains. “It’s about mindset. You may not feel your best, but if you’re in the zone mentally, that’s where performance lies.”
His race-day routine is meticulous: warming up with intensity, scanning the competition, and asserting quiet dominance. “Half the race is won in warm-ups,” he says. “And then I completely blank out and let my body take over.”
The Near Misses
Behind every podium finish lies a graveyard of near-misses. For Tejas, the road has been filled with setbacks missing out on the Asian Games, the Paris Olympics qualification by time, and close losses at the Asian Championships.
“I’ve never blamed circumstances,” he says. “I demand more from myself than anyone else can. My coach has learned that about me. It’s a superpower, but also a curse.”
He’s now discovering balance. “Push hard, then breathe. That’s what I’m learning how to work with flow, not just force.”
Two National Records, Still Not Enough. As he rightly mentioned once “Fal ke ped par hone wali aakhri cheej fal hi hoti hai”
Tejas holds the national records for both the 60m indoor hurdles and the 110m hurdles. Yet satisfaction remains elusive.
“It feels good, but it’s not enough,” he says plainly. “A national record means a lot, but it’s not everything. I want to run 13.2 consistently. That’s the goal.”
That push for precision comes from training in elite environments. “In Finland, I was with guys who were running 13.3, 13.4. You find an extra gear when you’re chasing someone.”
India’s Sprint Hurdles Problem
In a country where javelin and long-distance events dominate the headlines, sprint hurdling still flies under the radar. Tejas doesn’t shy away from the structural challenges.
“An elite athlete abroad does 30-40 races a year. I’ve done just 7-8. And this is me, the national record holder,” he says. “Now imagine someone who’s only competing in interstates or open tournaments. It doesn’t make sense.”
According to him, a better calendar alone can transform India’s athletics output. “If there are 10 C-level competitions available, why are we only doing 2 or 3? Do 8. Let the athlete build rhythm.”
The World Rankings Route to Tokyo Worlds
Tejas isn’t chasing the World Championships dream through the brutal direct qualification standard of 13.27 seconds. He’s opted for the more sustainable, albeit challenging, world rankings route currently sitting around 41st in the standings.
“This year, I’ve done just one major meet Taiwan and that helped. But others have done 15-20 races already. I need more exposure to stay there.”
That’s why he’s headed to Europe this season. “Play more meets, build points, and tell new stories along the way.”
The Reliance Foundation Factor
Tejas credits much of his progress to support from the Reliance Foundation, which provides training infrastructure, competition access, and international exposure.
“This year, I did indoor meets that helped my rankings. That kind of exposure early in the season gives you a cushion to build from,” he explains. “It’s not just financial help they’re creating ecosystems. But we also need to start planning long seasons, not just bursts of competitions.”
Hurdling’s Unique Appeal
Unlike many of his peers who began with flat sprints, Tejas found magic in the rhythm of hurdles.
“In school, I got to try all sports. We had these wooden hurdles. I loved the stepping and rhythm,” he recalls fondly.
His school, Maharashtra Public School, and its founder Major GK Ghuge, a former security head for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam instilled a deep sense of discipline. “He passed away now, but I owe him a lot. He created the space where I found hurdles.”
Falling, Getting Up, and Running Through Pain
As a hurdler, falling isn’t just metaphorical it’s a literal part of the job.
“If you fall completely, it’s over. But if you stumble, it’s all about how badly you want it,” Tejas says. “Even if I hit a hurdle, I don’t stop.”
His favorite race came in Taiwan through rain, pain, and blood. “I had scratches on my knees, bleeding. I didn’t even realize. That’s the kind of adrenaline you have in a good run.”
Chasing the Kohli Mindset
Tejas doesn’t just idolize athletes in his sport. His north star is cricketer Virat Kohli.
“I admire how he maneuvered himself into a position where he’s one of the greatest not just by talent but by mindset,” Tejas says. “His focus on fitness changed Indian cricket. He set his own standards.”
That’s the blueprint Tejas wants to emulate bringing professionalism and purpose to Indian athletics, not just through results but through lifestyle and discipline.
From Personal Success to National Blueprint
Tejas is mindful that his journey is part of a larger shift in Indian athletics.
“You can’t perform well at 106cm hurdles unless you’ve built years of technical work,” he says. “We need a long-term pathway, guiding athletes to peak at 23–25, not pressurize them at 18.”
When asked what the world should understand about him beyond athletics, Tejas pauses before offering a quiet truth: “That I’m trying to become the best version of myself. Every day. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m pushing every limit—physical, mental, emotional.”
With the Olympic qualification window in sight, Tejas’s calendar is packed with meets, training blocks, and video shoots. But at the core of all this is a singular purpose: to chase excellence, relentlessly.
Whether it’s breaking records, mentoring young hurdlers, or simply vlogging his morning routines, Tejas Shirse is building more than a career he’s building a movement. And somewhere between the blocks and the finish line, between the stumbles and the sprints, a new chapter of Indian athletics is being written one hurdle at a time.
