Tejas Shirse: India's Hurdling Star Breaks National Record, Eyes Olympics

Tejas Shirse, India's fastest male hurdler, has embarked on a remarkable journey from his humble beginnings in Maharashtra to breaking the national record in Finland. Despite facing challenges such as living out of a suitcase and overcoming loneliness, Shirse has grown both as an athlete and an individual.

A key catalyst in his growth has been Finnish hurdler Elmo Lakka, who shared valuable insights with Shirse. Lakka's advice on taking off from a farther distance and snapping the lead leg with the hamstring has significantly improved Shirse's technique.

Shirse has also made technical adjustments to his posture at the hurdles, standing taller and keeping his body forward to maintain momentum. Despite an injury to his left shin, he has managed to surpass his previous best time of 13.60s thrice in Europe.

While his coach believes meeting the Paris qualification mark of 13.27s may be unrealistic at this stage, Shirse remains optimistic. He has set his sights on the Olympics, driven by his belief that anything is possible.

Tags: #TejasShirse, #Hurdling, #NationalRecord, #IndianAthletics, #ParisOlympics