Jyothi Yarraji, first Indian to compete in 100-m hurdles in Olympics

Visakhapatnam : Like a Cheetah that runs after its prey with a sole purpose of grit and determination, Jyothi Yarraji’s legs move swiftly in tandem to achieve the set target.

Even as the shadows of adversity have been haunting this Asian Games silver medallist for long, it, however, did not stop her from becoming the first Indian to compete in the 100-metre hurdles at the ensuing Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

From humble beginnings, Jyothi Yarraji came a long way to make India proud of her. Born and raised in Visakhapatnam, she pursued her studies up to Class X in Port High School in Visakhapatnam. She also spent part of her academic years in Guntur and Hyderabad before getting admitted to the Reliance Odisha Athletics High Performance Centre.

While her father Yarraji Surya Narayana is working as a security guard, her mother Y Kumari slogged as a cleaner in a hotel for years. “Our days slowly started becoming better after I began working in a private company. But despite our financial constraints and rationed resources, we are so proud that Jyothi could realise her dream of representing India on the global platform,” says her brother Y Suresh.

Trained under the able tutelage of James Hillier at the Reliance Odisha Athletics High Performance Centre, Jyothi created history of sorts by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“It’s a big triumph for me to enter the track for the 100-metre hurdles at the Paris Olympics. My sole objective is to do my best in the games,” Jyothi told The Hans India from Paris when contacted.

At Asian Games 2022, she won a silver medal in the 100-m hurdles. In 2023, she bagged a gold medal in the Asian Athletics Championships in the 100-m hurdles and a silver medal in 200-m hurdles.

Although it is her maiden participation in the Olympics, Jyothi says that she is glad she could make it this far, especially after getting recovered from a recent injury. It was during that period, Jyothi got into effective physical training to stay fit, mustering confidence. “Eventually, I became a better version of myself,” she recalls.

Fuelled by an unwavering determination to make it big at the global stage, the Olympic debutant says that her ability to endure hardship made her emerge stronger. “In Andhra Pradesh, there is no conducive training facility or support system for aspiring athletes. If the government could focus on such infrastructure, it will be a big push to several athletes to make it big on global platforms,” she opines.