Jyothi Yarraji’s Journey from Poverty to Gold at the Asian Athletics Championships

Jyothi Yarraji grew up in a small home in Andhra Pradesh, where money was always tight but hopes were never in short supply. Her father worked long hours as a security guard, and her mother cleaned hospital floors part-time. 

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From an early age, she knew she wanted to change their lives. She found her escape on the school track, racing barefoot at first, understanding that speed came naturally to her.

Teachers noticed her talent and helped her enter organised training. The journey led to a rapid rise. Within a year, she won gold at the Youth National Championships, announcing herself as a name to watch. Yet success did not arrive without setbacks. 

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The COVID-19 pandemic shut down competitions just as she was ready to represent India internationally. Soon after, a painful back injury threatened to undo years of effort. Many would have slowed down. Jyothi refused to.

She returned stronger, training relentlessly and sharpening her technique over the hurdles. One race at a time, she began defeating established Indian stars such as Dutee Chand and Hima Das. 

By her early twenties, she had become the fastest woman hurdler the country had ever produced, holding the national record and leading a new generation of Indian sprinting.

Her finest moment came at the Asian Athletics Championships in Korea. Against Asia’s best, she ran the race of her life, clearing every hurdle cleanly and storming through the finish in 12.96 seconds. The time earned her the gold medal and shattered the championship record. More importantly, it crowned her Asia’s fastest woman over 100 metres hurdles.

Today, at just 24, Jyothi Yarraji runs with one clear dream: to win an Olympic medal for India. Every stride she takes carries the weight of her past and the promise she made as a child to give her parents the life they always deserved.