The New Indian Express ·
Sport
Olympian Jyothi Yarraji from Visakhapatnam to represent India at Asian Games
VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam’s 27-year-old Olympian and ace hurdler Jyothi Yarraji has been selected to represent India in the women’s 100 m hurdles at the 20th Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
Yarraji’s selection is a proud moment for Andhra Pradesh, particularly Visakhapatnam, as she prepares to compete at the continental sporting event after making a remarkable comeback from a serious ACL injury.
The national record holder, who holds the women’s 100m hurdles record at 12.78 seconds, is an Olympian, Hangzhou Asian Games silver medallist and Asian Athletics Championships gold medallist.
She secured her Asian Games berth at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar on June 24, 2026, clocking 13.14 seconds in the heats before improving to 12.99 seconds in the final.
Her return to competitive athletics after recovering from the ACL injury has added significance to her selection, with the Visakhapatnam athlete now aiming for the biggest prize at the Asian Games.
The Visakhapatnam District Athletics Association congratulated Yarraji on her selection and wished her success at the Asian Games, expressing hope that she would win the gold medal and bring further glory to Indian athletics.
The 20th Asian Games will bring together around 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 Asian countries. In an unusual first in Asian Games history, organisers have arranged accommodation for around 4,000-5,000 athletes aboard the luxury cruise liner Costa Serena, berthed at Nagoya Port, instead of a conventional Athletes’ Village.
Jyothi’s journey in athletics began after she finished Class X at Port High School. At the Asian Games 2023, Jyothi won the silver medal in the 100m hurdles, clocking 12.91 seconds. In 2024, she competed at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to qualify for the 100m hurdles. She narrowly missed the semifinals, finishing fourth in the repechage round.
Yarraji, born on August 28, 1999, in a modest household, began her athletic journey at Port High School in Visakhapatnam, where her physical education teacher recognised her potential. Her milestones include joining the SAI hostel in 2016, and training under Olympian N Ramesh. In 2022, Yarraji broke the national record in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.23 seconds, and has since surpassed her own record multiple times.
Her notable achievements include a gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, a silver in the 200m, a bronze at the World University Games, and a silver at the 2022 Asian Games.
The 25-year-old athlete was recently honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award, recognising her consistent dedication, and outstanding contributions to Indian athletics.