Top hurdler Tejas Shirse broke his own national record in the men’s 110m hurdles during the Indian Athletics Series 9, crossing the finish line in 13.27 seconds. The two-day tournament kicked off on Saturday at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana.
With this performance, Shirse also surpassed the 13.29-second qualification time for the Commonwealth Games set by the Athletics Federation of India. In 2024, he had set a national record of 13.41 seconds.
The meet featured athletes from several states competing across track and field events. Several performances drew attention as scouts prepare for upcoming national and international assignments.
Last qualification event for CWG
The tournament serves as the final qualification round for the Commonwealth Games scheduled for July. Around 700 athletes, including several national and international competitors, are participating in the meet organized by the Punjab Athletics Association (PAA) in association with the Athletics Federation of India.
PAA general secretary Prem Singh noted that the participation of leading athletes from across the country raised the competition’s standard. He added that the PAA regularly hosts national-level competitions to provide exposure to emerging athletes and strengthen the ecosystem in the state. The Indian Athletics Series 5 at Sangrur on May 9 also received an encouraging response, he said.
