Hurdler Tejas Shirse: In an era of elite sport where athletes often retreat behind soft platitudes about ‘enjoying the process’ or ‘gaining valuable exposure’ on participating in multi-sport events, Tejas Shirse comes across as a refreshingly honest sportsperson.
Shirse, 23, the national record holder in the 110-metre hurdles does not run merely to participate, nor is he content with moral victories his sole focus is to just win the competition.
"Definitely winning is the only goal. I don't want to be there and say that the process is part of it. The process is very important, but that is for me. But for the world, it's winning. All I care about is winning. The world will care about winning. How am I going to get there is my process... but I want to be the best in the world.
"I want to be the best in what I compete in. If I don't have that mindset, I will never achieve that. I just want to go out there in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games and just win - that is the only goal," recalls Shirse in an exclusive free-wheeling chat with IANS ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
That singular, unapologetic focus on victory comes at a pivotal moment. Having shattered the Indian national record with a blistering 13.27 seconds performance to lock in his CWG spot at the Indian Athletics Series in Ludhiana and then book his ticket to the Asian Games via clocking 13.43 seconds at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar.
With an aim to make the whole of India fall in love with hurdles, Shirse’s laser focus has been forged in the fires of immense adversity. Just as he was building peak momentum last year, disaster struck when a severe impact with a hurdle left his ankle injured in multiple places.
"Because of that, my ankle was almost broken from three-four places... it was just hanging by a thread basically. After that, I was feeling so depressed... despite doing everything right, even though I didn't do anything wrong, something like this has happened to me.”
Being sidelined for four months during a crucial CWG qualification cycle could have broken a lesser athlete’s spirit. Coming to terms with it, Shirse poured his raw emotion into a late-night Instagram post - not for public sympathy, but as a mental marker for the mountain he vowed to climb.
His recovery became a collaborative masterpiece led by the Reliance Foundation sports science team, including coach James Hillier, physiotherapist Nilesh Makwana, and strength and conditioning coach Kshitij Bhoite. Initially, the goal was merely to get him running pain-free. The Commonwealth Games were deemed an unrealistic target, but then Shirse took a chance at it.
"When we had a meeting, we thought that we would not plan for the Commonwealth Games. We will just plan to stay and become healthy. I started training in the middle of April and qualification was due at the end of May and the start of June. Qualifying in such a short time and reducing the timing was not realistic.
"So, we said that we will not do it, but in my mind, it was like if it happens, it is going to be nothing less of a miracle. So, I gave it the name of ‘Mission Miracle’ - just to keep myself motivated and it happened.”
Instead of succumbing to panic, Shirse stripped away all external expectations in Ludhiana, especially after clocking 13.67s and 13.50s at the Federation Cup in Ranchi. “It was a do or die situation. I don't know, but I just dug deep into my mindset. I told myself that even if I lose from here, I can't go any lower than this.
"So, why not just give yourself an opportunity to perform at your own level and at your best? I just thought that this was a free hit and told myself, ‘You know what, just do what you are capable of... Don't put pressure on yourself.’”
When he crossed the finish line in Ludhiana, a quick glance at the trackside clock showed 13.27 seconds - well past the required standard of 13.39 seconds. The surge of emotion was instantaneous and a visceral reaction to months of gruelling rehabilitation and self-doubt.
Yet, despite the euphoric high of breaking the national record, Shirse has cultivated a steady internal compass to survive the emotional volatility of elite sports. “You expect that if I feel good here, I will qualify and then you make dreams for that. I think this is a very mental framing athletes take it in a very wrong way.
"When you don't perform well, you think everything is over. If you perform very well, it feels like now I am the best. But I have found that I have gone through a lot of turmoil - up and down, then again up and down. Of course, I was happy after that race. But after two-three hours, I was in the same condition. So, I am not very happy and I am not very sad if I win or lose and I think that is helping me perform better at my sport."
Shirse’s hunger for podium finishes stems from humble origins. Growing up in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, facilities were sparse, forcing him to learn the sport through sheer improvisation and internet tutorials.
“When I used to train, we used to make wooden hurdles. We didn't have those hurdles which are there now. We made wooden hurdles, used to jump to overcome it and then run.
"It actually represents life as well. There are some obstacles that you have to overcome and then you just keep going. Growing up, I had a lot of issues - financial issues, home and family problems... Hurdles chose me, not me (choosing it)."
While flat sprints and field events like the javelin throw have historically commanded the spotlight in Indian athletics, Shirse believes the technical brilliance of the 110m hurdles is ripe for a cultural transformation in the country.
"In layman's terms, people think that 100 meters is the fastest, which is an interesting event. But the 110-meter hurdles is a very technical and interesting event as well. If you see, people didn't even know about javelin throw before. But since Neeraj Chopra has done huge throws and won an Olympics gold as well, then people came to know that there is a game called javelin throw.
“This thing motivates me - that if I can do something extraordinary for India, then people are going to recognize hurdles as well and that is my goal and mission - that people in India get to know that there is such a sport, which is really interesting. It's not something layman like any other sport. I don't want to compare, but it's a really interesting sport to watch. If you see people in stands, they really love watching 100 meters and hurdles as well. That motivates me to make a name for myself in that game."
"Cricket wasn't that famous in India before the World Cup was won in 1983. In India, I think we need heroes to worship. We need that person whom we can see and think that he has done it and we will follow him as he has come out of us. So we take really big pride in that situation.
"I think unless and until somebody goes out there and performs and gives their heart and soul to something for India or for these people who are from your place or from your country, they really love it and I think they will see soon that somebody has been working so hard to represent their country at the world stage," he elaborated.
To achieve his dream of standing on the podium at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, Shirse will have to overcome formidable global competition – right from the heats to the final race. The Commonwealth lineup features powerhouse hurdlers from Jamaica and the Caribbean, especially Demario Prince, while Asian giants like Japan and China present formidable challenges of their own.
Rather than being intimidated by world-class rivals, Shirse relies on a simple tactical principle to manage the environment. “The main challenge for me will be to focus more on myself. When I go on the track, I shut down myself - what is he or she doing, I just focus on myself... The more I focus on myself, the less pressure I will take.
“Pressure is a good thing - I have a quote that ‘Pressure is good when diluted with process.’ So if I can dilute that pressure that there are so many good athletes here with the process, I think medal-winning chances are as high as they can be.”
Daily training in a high-performance bubble alongside top sprinters like Jyothi Yarraji, Gurindervir Singh, and Animesh Kujur keeps his competitive edge razor-sharp. “You are a product of five people you surround yourself most with. So if you surround yourself with five champions, you become the sixth champion.”
As the major multi-sport events approach, Shirse is refusing to temper his ambitions or settle for mere participation. The goals are set, the national record is in his keeping, and the focus remains absolute – winning and being on the podium.
Daily training in a high-performance bubble alongside top sprinters like Jyothi Yarraji, Gurindervir Singh, and Animesh Kujur keeps his competitive edge razor-sharp. “You are a product of five people you surround yourself most with. So if you surround yourself with five champions, you become the sixth champion.”
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“Whatever it is, but you have to try and become your best self and to achieve your best performance and then think that nobody else runs faster than you. You have to run the fastest and win - that's the only thing you can control. I really hope it turns out to be exciting and I learn a lot from it,” signed off Shirse.