India's top hurdler, Tejas Shirse, has revealed a devastating injury of two stress fractures in his left foot, sustained while competing at the Commonwealth Games, which has now ended his 2026 season and crushed his hopes of participating in the Asian Games.
Key Points
- Tejas Shirse competed in the Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles final with two stress fractures in his left foot.
- The injury has prematurely ended his 2026 season and ruled him out of the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
- Shirse finished eighth in the Glasgow final, significantly slower than his qualifying time, due to the pain.
- He shared his emotional struggle and the physical toll of his decision to run despite his body's warnings.
- Despite the setback, Shirse aims to inspire others by sharing his journey and refusing to seek sympathy.
India's fastest hurdler Tejas Shirse carried far more than the hopes of a nation when he stepped onto the track for the men's 110m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He carried two stress fractures in his left foot. Days after becoming the first Indian to qualify for a Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles final, the 24-year-old has revealed that his brave effort came at a heavy price -- one that has ended his 2026 season and shattered his dream of competing at the Asian Games in Japan next month.
Running with his left foot heavily strapped, Shirse grimaced through the pain before finishing eighth in the final in 15.39 seconds, a far cry from the 13.76 seconds that had powered him into the medal race.
An Emotional Revelation
"This isn't the post I dreamed of writing. I thought I'd be holding a medal. This was the time I was prepared to win. Instead, I'm holding MRI reports," Shirse wrote in an an emotional post on Instagram on Tuesday. "Two stress fractures in my left foot. A dream paused. A season over."
The diagnosis also means the Asian Games, beginning in Japan on September 19, will go ahead without one of India's brightest medal hopes in the sprint hurdles. "The cruelest part isn't one race. It's knowing I qualified for the Asian Games and now I won't get to stand on that start line again.
"It's been nine major competitions in total, if I am not wrong, that I have missed out on. Today, I don't have a comeback story. I have pain. Questions. Regret over a few choices I know I could've made differently. And a future I suddenly can't see as clearly as I did a week ago. "I'll be back when I know who I am after this chapter."
The Decision to Compete
Looking back at the Glasgow final, Shirse admitted his body had warned him that something was wrong even before the race began. "I didn't feel it going into the competition. Something changed during the warm-up. Every athlete knows that moment when your body tells you something is wrong, but your heart refuses to listen.
"So I ran. Not because I thought I would win, but because sometimes you've worked too long to walk away before the gun goes off." It was a decision driven by years of sacrifice, but one that has ultimately cost him the remainder of the season.
Shirse also addressed criticism from those who questioned the limp with which he left the track. "I've read the comments -- 'I limped because I was in last position.' No. I limped because my foot was broken."
A Message of Resilience
Yet, despite the crushing setback, the national record-holder refused to seek sympathy. "For the first time in a long time, I genuinely don't know what comes next. But if this sport has taught me anything, it's that your strongest identity can't be built on your fastest race.
"Right now, I'm not asking for sympathy." Instead, he hopes that sharing the lowest point of his journey will help others battling their own setbacks. "People ask why I keep sharing my journey. Some say every time I do, it brings nazar. Maybe.
"But I started sharing my story for a different reason. If my journey can help even one person believe that setbacks are not the end, then I'll continue to be honest about both the highs and the lows."
