Tejas Shirse is not just India’s national record holder in the 110m hurdles—he’s a living, sprinting, leaping testament to the power of passion, mental resilience, and side hustles. Hailing from a humble farming family in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Tejas went from “mischievous class skipper” to gold medallist at the 2025 Taiwan Athletics Open with a sizzling 13.52s run.
And no, this isn’t your average rags-to-riches story—it’s more like hurdles-to-healing.
From Instagram Salesman to International Champion
Before he was beating timers, Tejas was beating the algorithm—on Instagram. With no money for pro-level training, he sold replica sports shoes online, earning ₹200–₹300 per pair.
His customers? Fellow broke athletes.
His goal? Just enough cash to keep training.
It worked. His speed—and sales—paid off.
The Obsession Trap: When Loving Your Sport Becomes a Mental Maze
Let’s face it: being obsessed with performance sounds like a badge of honor, right?
Wrong. For Tejas, that obsession became his kryptonite.
“I was losing sleep on it. I wasn’t wasting a single minute. But I had to learn to let go… and trust my body to be in flow.”
Sounds like something out of a Zen monk’s diary, but this lesson came the hard way: burnout, stress, and a loss of joy. His solution? Detachment without disengagement.
Hurdler’s Toolkit for Mental Mastery:
- Journaling: “Helps me reflect and track improvement—even if I don’t podium.”
- Sports psychologist: For mindset calibration.
- Better sleep: Because melatonin beats anxiety.
- Training under James Hillier at Reliance Sports Foundation: Elevating technique and tempo.
What Makes Tejas Shirse Different?
Most Indian athletes, he says, psych themselves out before the race even begins.
“We think we don’t have the genes, infrastructure, or support. But that’s just mental baggage we carry.”
Instead of comparisons, Tejas focuses on mindset. Competing with athletes like Sasha Zhoya and Ladji Doucoure taught him that performance starts from the neck up.
And it’s working. He’s now targeting sub-13.30s this season, eyeing competitions across Europe and the World University Games to add international medals to his collection.
Why Tejas Shirse Matters in Indian Athletics
While cricket hogs the limelight and IPL odds dominate sites like 188bet, Indian athletics quietly builds its future. And Tejas Shirse is its poster boy.
He’s not just breaking hurdles—he’s breaking mindsets.
Not just records—but the belief that international success is only for the privileged few.
FAQs: What People Ask About Tejas Shirse
Tejas Shirse is India’s national record holder in the 110m hurdles, recently winning gold at the 2025 Taiwan Open with a time of 13.52 seconds.
His personal best is 13.41 seconds, which also stands as the national record in the 110m hurdles.
He got into hurdles to skip classes—but passion took over. With no financial backing, he sold shoes online to fund his training.
He journals, works with a sports psychologist, and focuses on sleep and mental flow—reducing over-obsession to enhance performance.
Yes, he plans to compete in Europe and represent India in the World University Games to gain more global exposure.
He’s from Aurangabad (now Sambhaji Nagar) in Maharashtra, India, and comes from a farming family with no prior sports background.
Conclusion: A Leap Beyond the Track
Tejas Shirse is more than just a fast hurdler—he’s a fast learner.
From inner obsessions to outer golds, from Instagram hustles to international hurdles, his story teaches us that speed alone doesn’t win races—clarity does.
🔥 Inspired by Tejas? Think your hustle is hard? Try leaping hurdles barefoot from Aurangabad to the world stage. Share your thoughts or follow his journey. The next leap might just be yours.
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