India’s campaign in the men’s 100m at the Commonwealth Games 2026 suffered a major setback after national record holder Gurindervir Singh failed to progress beyond the opening round in Glasgow.

The Indian sprinter clocked 10.39 seconds in his heat, finishing well outside the qualifying positions for the semifinals. Entering the Games as the country’s fastest-ever man over 100m, Gurindervir had been expected to challenge deep into the competition after a breakthrough season.

Instead, his campaign came to an end in the heats, leaving fans and the athletics fraternity disappointed.

Childhood coach apologises after shock exit

Following the result, Gurindervir’s childhood coach, Happy Singh, took responsibility and apologised to Indian supporters for the outcome. “I just want ask forgiveness as Gurindervir’s first coach as we were not able to give what was expected from us,” he said. 

“The country hopes that when an athlete runs for the country, they will do well. I apologise to the nation as Gurindervir’s first coach. He could not deliver close to what the people had hoped from him,” he added.

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“Either a person wins or learns, but that process of learning becomes too drawn out if the competition comes once in four years. If a person goes to these events only to learn, they take on a lot of pressure on them. But what is done is done, we cannot do anything about it. All we can do now is to support him,” he further said.

National record raised expectations before Glasgow

Gurindervir arrived in Glasgow with strong momentum after rewriting the Indian record earlier this year. At the Federation Cup in Ranchi in May 2026, he sprinted to a historic 10.09 seconds, becoming the first Indian athlete to run below the 10.10-second mark in the men’s 100m.

That performance established him as India’s fastest sprinter and raised hopes of a strong Commonwealth Games showing, with many expecting him to compete for a place in the later rounds. However, the speed that earned him the national record was missing during the heats in Glasgow.

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Hamstring injury affected Gurindervir’s performance

After the race, Gurindervir’s current coach at Reliance, James Hillier, disclosed that the sprinter had been dealing with a hamstring injury for the past month.

“Everyone will look at the timings and go, why couldn’t he do his best? He’s had a hamstring injury for the last month, we’ve been keeping it quiet. Where he is at now, he can do the first 60m very well.”

According to Hillier, the injury limited Gurindervir during the closing stages of the race. Although he remained competitive over the opening 60 metres, he struggled through the final 40 metres. He eventually finished second in Heat 4 behind Jamaica’s Rohan Watson, who crossed the line in 10.13 seconds.

Why Gurindervir Singh failed to qualify?

Despite finishing second in his heat, Gurindervir did not earn a place in the semifinals because qualification was determined by overall times rather than finishing positions. The men’s 100m featured 76 athletes across 11 heats, while seven leading sprinters received direct entry into the semifinals.

The remaining 17 semifinal spots were awarded to the fastest performers across all heats. Gurindervir’s timing of 10.39 seconds placed him 28th among the heat runners. Barbados’ Kuron Griffith secured the final qualifying place with a time of 10.24 seconds, leaving the Indian sprinter outside the semifinal field.

The result brought an unexpected end to Gurindervir Singh’s Commonwealth Games campaign, with injury ultimately playing a significant role in a performance that fell short of the expectations created by his record-breaking season.

FAQs

Why did Gurindervir Singh fail to qualify for the Commonwealth Games semifinals?

Gurindervir Singh clocked 10.39 seconds in the men’s 100m heats, finishing outside the fastest qualifiers. A hamstring injury also affected his performance.

What did Gurindervir Singh’s coach say after the race?

His childhood coach, Happy Singh, apologised to the nation for the disappointing result and urged everyone to continue supporting the sprinter.