In the high-stakes world of track and field, where every leap, sprint, and throw is a culmination of years of sacrifice, an injury can feel like a cruel theft of dreams.
For Indian athletes in 2025, the season was a rollercoaster of triumphs and tribulations, with injuries abruptly halting the campaigns of stars like Avinash Sable, Jyothi Yarraji, and others. These setbacks, felt deeply by athletes, coaches, and fans, reveal the human vulnerability behind their superhuman feats. By examining how U.S. athletes manage injuries and recovery, India can chart a path forward to protect its track and field talent and ensure their resilience.
A Season Cut Short: Indian Athletes’ Struggles
Avinash Sable, India’s steeplechase titan, was a beacon of hope after clinching gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, in May 2025, with a season-best 8:20.92, ending a 36-year drought for India in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. But his season unraveled at the Monaco Diamond League on July 11, 2025, when he suffered an ACL tear and meniscus injury in his right knee, requiring surgery in Mumbai and a six-month recovery.
“I was chasing a sub-8-minute time,” Sable shared in an India Today interview, his voice heavy with frustration. “Now it’s about rebuilding, step by step.” His absence from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo left a void.
Jyothi Yarraji, the hurdling prodigy, dazzled at the Asian Championships, defending her 100m hurdles title with a championship-record 12.96 seconds despite a challenging injury-plagued season. Her grit shone through, but a knee injury during training in July 2025 forced her to undergo surgery, ending her season and ruling her out of Tokyo.
“I was under stress to defend my title,” Yarraji told Latestly, “but focusing on timing kept me calm.” Her Instagram posts, showing her in rehab with a determined smile, reflect the emotional toll of missing a career-defining moment.
Nithya Ramraj, another hurdler, suffered an ankle fracture at the World Continental Athletics Tour in Bhubaneswar, cutting short a season where she was emerging as a strong contender. Ancy Sojan, the long jumper who won silver at the Asian Championships with a 6.33m leap, was sidelined by a muscle strain that halted her preparations for the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships. Kishore Jena, a javelin thrower carrying India’s hopes in Neeraj Chopra’s absence, battled an ankle injury that led to a disappointing 10th-place finish at the Kip Keino Classic in May 2025, effectively ending his season.
Jeswin Aldrin, a promising long jumper, underwent surgery in Doha for an undisclosed injury, leaving fans on X speculating about his recovery timeline. Shaili Singh, who secured bronze in the women’s long jump at the Asian Championships with a 6.30m jump, pushed through a nagging hamstring issue but was forced to rest post-event to avoid further damage. The injury toll was stark. A 2023 study in the German Journal of Sports Medicine noted that two-thirds of track and field athletes sustain at least one injury per season, with hamstrings, knees, and ankles most at risk.
In India, the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) packed 2025 schedule, including the Federation Cup in May and Asian Championships shortly after,left athletes with little recovery time.
Poor training surfaces and inconsistent coaching further heightened risks, with experts like Dr. Priya Menon, a sports physiotherapist, pointing to “overuse and inadequate recovery protocols” as key culprits. The emotional impact of these injuries is profound. Sable, a two-time Olympian, spoke of the loneliness of rehab, where “the silence is louder than any crowd.” Yarraji’s coach, James Hillier, described her tears after the knee injury, not from pain but from the fear of losing her momentum. For young athletes like Sojan and Aldrin, the pressure to return quickly is immense, amplified by social media scrutiny.
“It’s not just physical healing,” says sports psychologist Dr. Rhea Desai. “It’s about overcoming the fear of reinjury and the anxiety of falling behind.” Families bear the burden too Sable’s parents in Maharashtra rearranged their lives to support his recovery, while Sojan’s coach described the “ripple effect” of her absence on her team’s morale.
Learning from the World’s Best: Coping Strategies and Recovery
U.S. track and field athletes, competing in a highly professionalized system, offer valuable lessons for injury management and coping. Athletes like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who recovered from a knee injury in 2023 to dominate the 400m hurdles, and Noah Lyles, who managed a minor ankle issue in 2024 to win Olympic gold, exemplify structured recovery protocols. Key strategies include:
- Comprehensive Medical Support: U.S. athletes benefit from integrated sports medicine teams, including orthopedic specialists, physiotherapists, and nutritionists. For example, McLaughlin-Levrone worked with a dedicated rehab team at UCLA’s sports medicine center, using advanced diagnostics like MRI scans to tailor her recovery. Indian athletes, by contrast, often rely on limited facilities, with only elite centers like the Odisha Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre offering comparable support.
- Mental Health Focus: U.S. programs prioritize psychological support. Lyles openly discussed working with a sports psychologist to cope with the mental toll of his 2024 injury, using visualization techniques to stay motivated. In India, mental health support is scarce, leaving athletes like Yarraji to navigate emotional setbacks largely alone. Dr. Desai notes that “structured counseling can help athletes reframe injuries as temporary challenges.
- Periodized Training and Rest: U.S. coaches like Bobby Kersee emphasize periodization structured training cycles with mandatory rest to prevent overuse. A 2024 Journal of Athletic Training study found that periodized training reduced injury rates by 30% in U.S. track athletes. Indian athletes, however, face relentless schedules, with Sable’s 2025 season involving back-to-back Diamond League meets and domestic events.
- Rehabilitation Technology: U.S. athletes use cutting-edge tools like cryotherapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and biomechanical analysis to speed recovery. For instance, Athing Mu used cryotherapy to manage a 2024 hamstring strain, returning to competition within weeks. In India, such technologies are limited to top-tier athletes like Neeraj Chopra, leaving others reliant on basic physiotherapy.
- Athlete Education: U.S. programs educate athletes on injury prevention, with workshops on proper warm-ups and biomechanics. The U.S. Track and Field Association’s “ Athlete Development Program” teaches young athletes to recognize early signs of overuse. In India, such education is sporadic, with many athletes unaware of proper recovery protocols.
Strategies for Indian Athletes
Drawing from U.S. practices, Indian athletes can adopt several coping strategies:
- Mental Resilience: Yarraji’s focus on timing rather than medals during her injury-plagued Asian Championships run shows the power of reframing goals. Techniques like mindfulness meditation, used by U.S. sprinter Gabby Thomas, can help athletes like Sable manage rehab stress.
- Support Networks: Building a support system is crucial. Sable’s training in Ooty and Bengaluru with coach Kalyan Chaudhari allowed him to tailor his recovery, a shift from previous unsuitable training regimes. Athletes should lean on coaches, family, and peers, as Lyles did during his recovery.
- Gradual Return: U.S. athletes like Mu follow phased rehab plans, starting with low-impact exercises before returning to full training. Sojan and Aldrin could benefit from similar gradual progressions to avoid reinjury.
- Advocacy and Communication: U.S. athletes openly discuss injuries to reduce stigma. Sable’s candidness about his calf injury in 2024 helped fans understand his journey. Indian athletes should feel empowered to share their struggles, fostering empathy and support.
The Way Forward for Indian Track and Field. To reduce injuries and support recovery, India must overhaul its approach:
- Invest in Sports Science: The AFI should expand partnerships with institutes like the Sports Authority of India’s Southern Centre in Bengaluru, where Sable trained, to provide advanced diagnostics and rehab tools. Government funding for cryotherapy, PRP therapy, and biomechanical labs could level the playing field.
- Structured Schedules: The AFI’s 2025 calendar, with events like the Federation Cup and Asian Championships in quick succession, strained athletes. Adopting U.S.-style periodization, with mandatory off-seasons, could reduce overuse injuries.
- Mental Health Programs: Integrating sports psychologists into training camps, as done in the U.S., would help athletes like Yarraji cope with the emotional toll of injuries. The AFI could pilot programs at high-performance centers.
- Better Facilities: Upgrading training surfaces to international standards is critical. The Times of India reported that poor surfaces contributed to injuries in 2025. Investments in synthetic tracks and safe jumping pits are non-negotiable.
- Athlete Education: Workshops on injury prevention, like those in the U.S., could teach young athletes like Aldrin and Sojan proper warm-ups and recovery techniques. The AFI’s collaboration with the Odisha Reliance Foundation could be a model.
- Talent Pipeline: Injuries to stars like Sable and Yarraji highlight the need for depth.
The U.S. sustains success through a robust collegiate system. India should expand grassroots programs like the National Talent Search to nurture young athletes.
A Resilient Future
The 2025 season was a stark reminder of track and field’s physical and emotional demands. Sable’s surgery, Yarraji’s rehab, and the setbacks of Ramraj, Sojan, Jena, and Aldrin underscore the fragility of athletic dreams. Yet, their stories are also ones of courage Sable’s determination to chase a sub-8-minute time, Yarraji’s record-breaking grit, and Sojan’s quiet resolve to return. By learning from U.S. practices comprehensive medical support, mental health focus, and structured training India can protect its athletes and build a resilient future. As fans await their heroes’ return in 2026, the track awaits new stories of triumph, forged in the crucible of recovery.
