Tejas Shirse’s Indoor Training Pays Off with Record-Breaking 110m Hurdles Run

 

Tejas Shirse made headlines at the National Games in Dehradun, smashing a decade-old meet record in the men’s 110m hurdles with a blistering 13.65s run. Though his start was explosive, he admitted feeling stretched in the final phase—a result of focusing on indoor hurdles during training.

 

This year has been a record-breaking one for the 22-year-old. Last month, he twice reset the national record in the 60m hurdles. His progress is largely credited to a three-week training stint in Europe, where he raced against elite indoor hurdlers in France. Competing in eight 60m indoor races, including qualification rounds and finals, he set the current national record of 7.64s.

 

Shirse explains the key difference between indoor and outdoor hurdles: “Indoor races are all about a fast start and quick finish, while outdoor hurdles demand endurance to maintain speed.” Under the guidance of coach James Hillier, both he and women’s 100m national record holder Jyothi Yarraji have focused on perfecting their start.

 

“The decision to train indoors was strategic,” says Shirse. “It helped me refine my takeoff, which has improved my outdoor performance.”