Gurindervir Singh fails to qualify for the men’s 100m semifinals at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, finishing 28th overall.
India’s Gurindervir Singh exited the Commonwealth Games 2026 after not advancing to the men’s 100m semifinals. The sprinter recorded a time of 10.39 seconds in his heat, placing 28th overall. Only the top 17 athletes were eligible to move on to the next round of the competition.
Gurindervir Singh had arrived in Glasgow with aspirations of becoming the first Indian to achieve a sub-10-second time on the international stage. However, he was unable to deliver his best performance during the crucial race.
Race Performance and Qualification Details
Competing from lane five in Heat 4, the Punjab sprinter started strongly, maintaining pace with Jamaica’s Rohan Watson in the initial stages of the race. Despite a promising start, Gurindervir Singh faded in the final 30-35 metres as Watson accelerated to win the heat with a time of 10.13 seconds.
Although Gurindervir Singh finished second in his specific heat, his time was not sufficient to secure a spot in the semifinals. Watson, who won the heat, progressed after finishing ninth overall among all competitors.
A total of 17 athletes successfully advanced from the initial heats. Additionally, seven sprinters had already received automatic byes, securing their places in the semifinals without competing in the heats. This structure meant that a strong performance was essential for those without a bye.
Despite the presence of a legal 1.5 m/s tailwind, which typically aids sprinters, Gurindervir Singh could not convert these favourable conditions into a faster time. His 10.39-second effort was considerably slower than his personal best and the national record he holds.
National Record Holder’s Previous Achievements
Gurindervir Singh’s personal best and national record stands at 10.09 seconds. This record was established earlier in the year at the Federation Cup in Ranchi, where he made history as the first Indian to run under 10.10 seconds. His performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 did not match this previous achievement.
Meanwhile, other Indian athletes have seen success in Glasgow. M Sreeshankar, an Indian long jumper, qualified for the Commonwealth Games finals by breaching the qualifying standard on his first attempt. He achieved a jump of 8.01m, meeting the qualification standard of 8m or being among the 12 best performers.
Sreeshankar, whose season’s best is 8.38m, secured direct qualification from Group A. He aims to improve upon the silver medal he earned in the 2022 edition of the Games. His qualification comes after recovering from a significant knee injury in April 2024, which prevented his participation in the Paris Olympics. He recorded his season’s best performance just last month at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.
Another Indian athlete, Tejas Shirse, also made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the men’s 110m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games. He finished third in his heat and advanced as the sixth-fastest overall with a time of 13.76 seconds. His season’s best and national record is 13.27 seconds, set last month in Ludhiana.
In the 100m event, Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu emerged as the fastest qualifiers from the heats, clocking 10.00 seconds and 10.01 seconds, respectively, leading the field into the semifinals.
The men’s long jump finals are scheduled to take place on July 29.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
