Jyothi Yarraji has established herself as India’s fastest woman hurdler after winning a silver medal at the Asian Games. At 24, Jyothi Yarraji stands at the centre of India’s women’s sprint hurdles scene, not because of hype, but because of timing, form, and steady progress. Her recent results place her close to Olympic qualification and mark a strong comeback from a phase that nearly ended her career.

Jyothi Yarraji’s Asian Games silver is the main milestone in a season that shows clear improvement. It also confirms her position as India’s leading hurdler in the 100m hurdles.

A decision that shaped her future

Jyothi Yarraji grew up in Visakhapatnam in a family with limited income. Her father worked as a private security guard. Her mother worked as a domestic helper. Athletics was not a safe or simple career choice.

As a teenager, she decided to move to Hyderabad for better training. Before leaving, she wrote a long letter to her elder brother. She explained why she wanted to train in athletics and why the move mattered to her. Her family had doubts. They gave her one year. If she failed to show progress, she would return home.

That year became the base of a long journey.

Progress before injury setbacks

Yarraji began to perform well at state and university events. Her speed between hurdles stood out. Coaches saw potential, but her body struggled with the load.

The toughest phase came during the 2020–21 season. Injuries kept her off the track. The pandemic shut down competitions and training centres. She had no income and no access to regular physiotherapy.

At that point, her weight dropped to 49 kg. She feared she would have to quit athletics. The break tested both her health and confidence.

Support arrives at a critical moment

The turning point came when Reliance Foundation reached out. James Hillier, the foundation’s athletics director, had seen footage of Yarraji from an all-India university meet. He believed she had the raw ability needed at the elite level.

Yarraji was unsure. Injuries had left mental scars. After discussion, she agreed to train at the high-performance centre in Bhubaneswar.

The restart was slow. Her fear of hurdles was clear. During early sessions, she avoided jumping and ran around the barriers. Hillier chose to strip things down to basics.

He lowered hurdle heights and asked her to focus on movement and balance. Strength training came first. Speed followed later.

Timings begin to fall

The method worked. As her confidence returned, so did her speed. In her first competition under Hillier, she clocked 13.79 seconds in the 100m hurdles.

That timing became the base. Over the next year, her form improved. In August 2023, she ran 12.78 seconds at the World University Games in Chengdu. The time fell just 0.01 seconds short of the Olympic qualification mark.

In sprint hurdles, that gap is minimal. It placed her among the fastest hurdlers India has produced.

Asian Games silver confirms status

Jyothi Yarraji carried that form into the Asian Games. She won silver in the women’s hurdles, a result that confirmed her rise at the continental level.

The medal also brought clarity. She now leads India’s women’s hurdles group by timing and consistency. Officials track her as a strong contender for Olympic qualification.

Yarraji remains clear about her goal. She wants to run under 13 seconds in every major race. Medals matter, but timing stays central.

Learning to handle disappointment

Yarraji’s career has included tough moments even during progress. In 2022, at the Federation Cup in Kerala, she ran faster than the national record. Officials disallowed the time due to excessive wind speed. It was not the first such decision against her.

The ruling left her upset. Coaches reminded her that clean races would come. Over time, she learned to accept such outcomes and focus on the next start line.

That approach now defines her mindset.

Recent results add confidence

In early 2024, Yarraji won gold in the 60m hurdles at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tehran. The win showed her speed indoors and her ability to adjust rhythm over shorter distances.

Her current training focuses on starts, hurdle clearance, and stride pattern. Injury control remains a priority. Her team plans races with care to avoid overload.

Officials say her form remains stable as the Olympic qualification window stays open.

A wider impact on Indian athletics

Jyothi Yarraji’s rise carries weight beyond her own results. She comes from a modest background and rebuilt her career with structured support and patience.

Her progress shows what focused coaching and medical backing can achieve. It also highlights the value of athlete development programs that support recovery, not just results.

Young athletes now see her as proof that setbacks do not end careers.

The road ahead

The path to Paris remains tight. Sprint hurdles allow little margin. One clean run can change rankings.

For Jyothi Yarraji, the plan stays simple. Train well. Stay fit. Run clean races.

If she holds her timing under 13 seconds, results will follow.

FAQs

Q1. Who is Jyothi Yarraji?
Jyothi Yarraji is an Indian track athlete and hurdler. She is India’s fastest woman hurdler and an Asian Games silver medallist.

Q2. What is Jyothi Yarraji’s age?
Jyothi Yarraji is 24 years old.

Q3. What medals has Jyothi Yarraji won?
She has won silver at the Asian Games and gold at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in the 60m hurdles.

Q4. Is Jyothi Yarraji aiming for the Paris Olympics?
Yes. She is working toward Olympic qualification and aims to run consistently under 13 seconds in the 100m hurdles.