Athletics
I did not train for three-weeks: Jyothi Yarraji, after winning 2025 Federation Cup
An injury scare earlier this month had sidelined the hurdler ahead of the meet.
Jyothi Yarraji clocked 13.23s to win the women’s 100m hurdles. (Photo credit: Aswathy/ The Bridge)
“I was really crying a lot; I was struggling every night.”
This, according to Jyothi Yarraji, was her frame of mind earlier this month.
The problem was a freak hamstring injury she sustained after tripping over a hurdle in training.
Worried at the possibility of having to miss the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships 2025, Yarraji rested, cried, prayed and hoped that the injury healed in time.
One chance was all she prayed for and on Tuesday, at the 2025 Federation Cup at Kochi, that chance presented itself. And Yarraji grabbed it with both hands.
She clocked 13.23s to win the women’s 100m hurdles.
'Did not train'
Having already breached the qualification mark for the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 at the National Games earlier this year, Yarraji had already set her sights on the marquee event.
But after the freak injury earlier this month, Yarraji feared the worst.
“I was unable to train. We prepared for the Asian Championships for the last 6-months and for one mistake, I don’t want to punish myself,” she said in an interaction with the media after her sprint on Tuesday.
Having pulled her hamstring, Yarraji was unable train for the 2025 Federation Cup. And so, for the next three weeks, she stayed away from tracks.
“I did not train even for one session,” she recalled.
"I was really crying a lot and every night, I was struggling a lot"☹️
— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) April 22, 2025
Jyoti Yarraji pulled her hamstring during regular training session earlier this month🫣
She did not train for 3 weeks but raced to win the women's 100m hurdles title at 2025 Federation Cup🔥
🎥: @_Aswathy_S… pic.twitter.com/TTp2OkaAK1
Instead, she turned to weight training and cycling while the hamstring recovered. With her team monitoring her progress, she waited and prayed.
“I was just praying everyday to God to just give me one change to prove myself.”
And on Tuesday, she sprinted past competition like her usual self. With arms outstretched as she crossed the finish line, a sense of relief prevailed.
The Asian dream was on course and the confidence was back.
“I know I can do it. I just want to thank my team because they made me do this,” she concluded.
