03-06-2025
Grit takes Jyothi to finish line despite hurdle after hurdle
Visakhapatnam: 'Where there is a will, there is a way', goes a proverb. And, for athletes with grit and determination, hurdles seem to accelerate their victory!
Fierce competition, unfavourable weather conditions, delayed start of the women's 100-mt hurdles final, bottled-up stress and the combined pressure did not stop Jyothi Yarraji from winning a gold medal in the '2025 Asian Athletics Championships' held in Gumi, South Korea.
Running alongside Japan's Yumi Tanaka and China's Yanni Wu, sheer grit got Jyothi past the finish line first soon after she got into the rhythm, defending her women's 100-m hurdles title in a record time of 12.96 seconds. 'Thanks to my visualisation. It did help me stay focused all through the event despite the challenges,' Jyothi enthused in her conversation with The Hans India.
The athlete, known as India's fastest hurdler, says, 'My target was to win the gold medal and I am glad that my single-minded dedication eventually yielded positive results. Maintaining consistency in training is crucial. Along with hard work and dedication, my conscious-eating made me stay strong from within.'
Although inclement weather did dampen her training and warm-up, Jyothi says that she did whatever she could to hit her target.
Terming her coach James Hillier as a pillar of strength, Jyothi says that he motivates her to break boundaries. 'I am quite fortunate to have been trained by him for the past three years. And I could clearly see a huge difference and improvement in my achievements. He prepared me pretty well for the 100-m hurdles in the event,' Jyothi, born and raised in Visakhapatnam, underlines. She says that it is tough to be target-oriented, especially when one is away from the family.
The athlete reveals that she had gone through financial struggles as her mother Y Kumari had to take up a cleaning job initially in a hospital and later in a hotel to make ends meet for years. Jyothi's father Y Surya Narayana works as a security guard at a computer shop located in Diamond Park, Visakhapatnam.
For many athletes financial constraint is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. She strongly feels that the government should step beyond taking to social media platforms while congratulating the achievers. 'It would be of great help if the government extends financial support to the athletes as it is quite draining and an expensive exercise to prepare for international competitions. The state government should come forward to offer her a job based on her achievements as it would be encouraging for me and my family,' Jyothi emphasises. She is disappointed that no such offer has come her way till date.
