Athletics
Jyothi Yarraji breaks 20-year-old National Record in women's 100m hurdles and wins gold
Despite being denied the National Record on two previous occasions, young hurdler Jyothi Yarraji clocked 13.23 seconds at the Cyprus International Athletics Meet and created a new National Record.
Jyothi Yarraji broke the National Record in women's 100m hurdles
After being denied the National Record twice previously, young Indian hurdler Jyothi Yarraji has finally scripted history to shatter a 20-year-old record held by Anuradha Biswal to add her own name next to it at the Cyprus International Athletics Meet.
Jyothi clocked an impressive timing of 13.23 seconds in the women's 100m hurdle to break the previous National Record which was at 13.38 seconds and clinched the gold medal as well at the Cyprus event.
Hailing from a humble background, Jyothi is the daughter of a private security guard, whose talent has been one to watch out for. In fact, Yarraji has clocked better timings earlier as well, clocking as low as 13.03 seconds at the Inter-University Athletics Meet in January 2020 and a 13.08 seconds dash with wind assist of +2.1m/s at last month's Federation Cup.
However, on both occasions, the 22-year-old from Vizag was denied the National Record owing to certain glaring glitches in the organisational aspects of Indian athletics events. At the Inter-University Athletics Meet, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) did not test her at the championships and there was no technical delegate from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to ratify it either. Therefore Yarraji's 13.03 seconds finish and subsequent breaking of the National Record was not recorded.
During the Federation Cup in April 2022 , Yarraji clocked 13.08 seconds but was once again denied the National Record because there was wind assistance of +2.1m/s which is beyond the permissible safe limit of +2m/s, which once again cost the youngster.
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Having come so close to always breaking the National Record, Jyothi has finally done it now and has her name in the books now after she finished with a gold medal in the women's 100m hurdles. Natalia Christofi of Cyprus claimed the silver with a timing of 13.34 seconds, while Greek athlete Anais Karagianni took bronze with a 13.47 seconds finish.
