India’s 110m hurdles star Tejas Shirse on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) revealed that he will not be able to compete in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan as he participated in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games with “two stress fractures” on his left foot.

Shirse became the first Indian to reach the 110m hurdles finals in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with a time of 13.76 seconds.

But running with a heavily taped foot, Shirse finished last in an eight-men field, clocking 15.39 seconds while grimacing in pain.

“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 a touching Instagram post.

“Two stress fractures in my left foot. A dream paused. A season over,” he added.

In his emotional outpouring, Shirse conceded that his Asian Games, beginning on September 19 in Japan, dreams are over.

“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 9 major competitions in total if i am not wrong that i 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,” he said.

Shirse had the personal choice of not running the CWG final, but he chose to ignore the warning signals his injured body gave.

“I didn’t feel it (injury) going into the competition. Something changed during 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 because sometimes you’ve worked too long to walk away before the gun goes off,” he said.

The 24-year-old also laughed off the comments of him feigning the injury.

“I’ve read the comments — I limped because I was in last position” No! I limped because my foot was broken.”

However, Shirse did not 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,” he added.

Shirse expressed optimism that his will to fight injuries will inspire other athletes who go through a similar phase.

“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,” he said.

The unheralded Sindhushree G. wrote her name in the record books with a shock win over Baranica Elangovan in the women’s pole vault and qualified for the Asian Games on the second day of the National inter-State athletics meet at the Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday.

The 25-year-old short statured Karnataka girl — who trained for two weeks with a borrowed pole from a fellow male athlete, who had purchased the equipment meant for women by mistake — relied on her endurance to thrive despite the humid conditions. She achieved the National mark of 4.25m ahead of Baranica, who couldn’t improve upon her previous mark of 4.23m.

“I do 30 jumps in training. I had enough endurance,” said Sindhushree, whose previous best was 4.00m in the Indian Athletics Series in Delhi in May.

Proudly holding a photo of her late father, R. Ganesh, who backed her to pursue athletics before his death in 2022, Sindhushree said, “I dedicate this to my father, who had dreamt of seeing me in India colours.”

Gowthami Jayaraman timed 2:04.17 to upset Pooja Ola and secure the women’s 800m crown.

Animesh Kujur (20.87) made the cut for the continental show-piece in men’s 200m heats before lowering it to 20.74 to win the final.

Harita Bhadra (23.55) and Unnathi Bollanda (23.65) also qualified in the women’s 200m heats before taking the top two places in the final, clocking 23.14 and 23.40 respectively.

Tejas Shirse (13.43) set a new meet record in men’s 110m hurdles. He earned an Asiad berth and bettered his previous meet record (13.54).

The results (finals): Men: 200m (Asiad Q mark 20.88): 1. Animesh Kujur (Odi) 20.74, 2. Dondapati M. Jayaram (Odi) 20.97, 3. Jishnu Prasad P.K. (Ker) 21.18; 800m (Asiad Q mark 1:48.80): 1. Mohammed Afsal P. (Ker) 1:48.57, 2. Krishan Kumar (Har) 1:48.82, 3. Prathamesh Deore (Mah) 1:48.89; Discus (Asiad Q mark 60.13m): 1. Kirpal Singh (Chd) 57.37m, 2. Nirbhay Singh (Har) 55.26m, 3. Arjun (Del) 54.90m; Decathlon (Asiad Q mark 7250): 1. Thowfeeq N. (Ker) 7276, 2. Kushal Mohite (Mah) 7251, 3. Jashbir Nayak (Odi) 7131; Half-marathon race walk (Asiad Q mark 1:25:37): 1. Servin Sebastian (TN) 1:31:49, 2. Sachin Bohra (Utk) 1:32:10, 3. Ningthoukongja (Man) 1:32:24.

Women: 200m (Asiad Q mark 23.70): 1. Harita Bhadra (Mah) 23.14, 2. Unnathi Bollanda (Kar) 23.40, 3. Prakruthi Roopa Rao (Kar) 23.58; 800m (Asiad Q mark 2:05.21): 1. Gowthami Jayaraman (TN) 2:04.17, 2. Pooja Ola (Har) 2:04..37, 3. Lili Das (WB) 2:04.59; Shot put (Asiad Q mark 16.25m): 1. Manpreet Kaur (Har) 17.75m, Krishna Jayasankar (TN) 16.96m, 3. Srishti Vig (Del) 16.96m; Pole vault (Asiad Q mark 4.10m): 1. Sindhushree G. (Kar) 4.25m (NR, Old 4.23m, Baranica Elangovan, 2026), 2. Baranica Elangovan (TN) 4.20m, 3. Nitika Akare (MP) 4.10m.