Jyothi Yarraji reaffirmed her place at the top of Asian sprint hurdles by storming to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles final at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, defending her title with a Championship Record time of 12.96 seconds.
The 24-year-old from Visakhapatnam not only secured India’s fourth gold medal of the championships, but also cemented her growing legacy as the undisputed Hurdles Queen of Asia.
In a race packed with continental talent, including Japan’s Yumi Tanaka and China’s Wu Yanni, it was Yarraji’s sheer resilience, technical brilliance, and stunning late acceleration that separated her from the rest.
Slow Start, Storming Finish
Yarraji didn’t have the smoothest getaway off the blocks, trailing in the early part of the race. But once she found her rhythm — especially over the final four hurdles — the Indian national record holder surged ahead with ferocity.
The timing of 12.96s not only marked her season’s best but also broke a 27-year-old championship record, underlining just how complete her performance was under pressure.
It was also the first sub-13-second run by an Asian athlete in 2025, a strong statement to her continental rivals ahead of the World Championships and future Olympic qualifying efforts.
A Trailblazing Career in the Making
With this victory, Jyothi Yarraji becomes the only Indian woman to win two medals in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Championships. Her breakthrough gold came in 2023, and now, two years later, she has defended her crown in emphatic style.
Here’s a look at India’s medal history in women’s 100m hurdles at the Asian Championships:
- 🥉 2000 – Anuradha Biswal
- 🥉 2013 – Jayapal Hemasree
- 🥇 2023 – Jyothi Yarraji
- 🥇 2025 – Jyothi Yarraji
That history not only highlights how rare medals in this event have been for India, but also emphasizes Yarraji’s impact — she’s now 50% of India’s entire 100m hurdles medal haul at this championship.
Resilience and Redemption
Jyothi’s journey over the past year has been anything but smooth. Her 2023 Asian Games campaign ended in heartbreak after a controversial disqualification, followed by a prolonged protest that cast a shadow on what should have been her moment to shine. That incident, which involved Chinese rival Wu Yanni, became one of the most talked-about controversies in Asian athletics last year.
This gold in Gumi, however, offers redemption. On the same stage, in the same rivalry, she turned the narrative around with performance — letting her spikes do the talking.
From Visakhapatnam to Asia’s Fastest Hurdler
Hailing from humble beginnings in Andhra Pradesh, Jyothi Yarraji’s rise to the top has been powered by grit and ambition. A product of India’s high-performance system, particularly her time with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), Yarraji now consistently trains and competes at international standards.
She holds the Indian national record of 12.78s in the 100m hurdles, and has now run under 13 seconds multiple times, proving that she belongs on the global stage.
Looking Ahead: More Races to Come
Yarraji’s campaign at the Asian Championships might not be over yet. She is listed to compete in the 200m event, showing her versatility and sprint endurance. While the 100m hurdles remains her primary focus, her ability to double up speaks to her evolving athletic profile and the potential to contribute across events for Team India.
Legacy Already in Motion
At just 24, Yarraji is still in the early chapters of what promises to be a landmark career in Indian athletics. Already the first Indian woman to break 13 seconds, the first to win two medals in 100m hurdles at the Asian Championships, and now a championship record holder, she is building a resume that places her among India’s all-time greats in track and field.
Her triumph in Gumi wasn’t just a medal — it was a statement.
India’s Golden Run Continues
Yarraji’s gold added to India’s growing medal tally at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, where the nation has already seen victories in men’s steeplechase (Avinash Sable) and other marquee events. As India continues its rise in athletics, athletes like Yarraji represent both the present and the promise of the future.
In Summary: Jyothi Yarraji – The Numbers Tell the Story
- Gold in 100m Hurdles (2025)
- 12.96s – Season Best and Championship Record
- Back-to-Back Asian Champion (2023, 2025)
- Only Indian with multiple medals in this event at the Asian Championships
- First Asian woman under 13s in 2025
Jyothi Yarraji, once again, proved why she is not just India’s hurdles queen — but one of Asia’s finest athletes on the track.
