Commonwealth Games 2026: All you need to know about Yashas Palaksha

Yashas Palaksha has steadily established himself among India's leading 400m hurdlers over the past few seasons.

The Karnataka athlete heads to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow for his maiden appearance after producing the best performances of his career in 2026.

Representing the Indian Army and training under the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports programme, Yashas has climbed to become India's second-fastest man ever in the 400m hurdles and one of the country's most consistent performers in the event.

Early days

Born on December 8, 2001, Yashas Palaksha hails from Karnataka, where he began his athletics journey before progressing through the domestic circuit.

Specialising in the 400m hurdles, he has also competed in the flat 400m and relay events, developing into a versatile quarter-miler.

Rising through the ranks

Yashas established himself on the national circuit with a series of strong domestic performances. He won gold at the National Federation Cup in Ranchi in 2023 before adding another national title at the Indian Championships in Bhubaneswar later that year.

His consistent performances earned him a place in the Indian team for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where he reached the final of the men's 400m hurdles and finished fifth, gaining valuable experience against Asia's leading athletes.

The following season was interrupted by injury, but Yashas returned strongly in 2025. He claimed the silver medal at the Taiwan Athletics Open with a then personal best of 49.22 seconds, signalling his return to top form.

The 2026 season has been the most successful of Yashas' career.

At the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition in Chandigarh, he won the men's 400m hurdles title in a personal best of 49.00 seconds. The performance made him the second-fastest Indian ever in the event, behind only national record holder Dharun Ayyasamy.

He followed that up with another gold medal at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, underlining his consistency on the domestic circuit.

Yashas also improved his flat 400m personal best to 46.82 seconds during the season, reflecting his growing speed and strength across the one-lap events.

Eyes on Glasgow

Yashas heads to Glasgow for his first Commonwealth Games after a season that has firmly established him among India's leading hurdlers.

While the men's 400m hurdles features a competitive international field, the Games provide another opportunity for the 24-year-old to test himself against some of the Commonwealth's best athletes.