After year-long injury layoff, Jyothi Yarraji clocks 12.99s to seal Asian Games berth

In the women's 100m hurdles final at the Inter State National Championships, Jyothi Yarraji stared at the big screen after the race. Once it flashed 12.99 seconds next to her name, she fell on the track, virtually hugging it in celebration.

The moment marked a triumphant return after a year-long layoff due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Yarraji breezed through the hurdles to breach the Asian Games qualification mark and reclaim the national title.

Last year, she was bound for the World Championships but suffered a freak injury during training when she hit a hurdle, keeping her away from the track.

"I felt so good today. Interestingly, exactly one year back, I got injured and today I am here clocking sub-13s. It means a lot for me," Yarraji told reporters. "I was expecting a better race, something around 12.6s, but that's okay. I have been praying every day since I got injured on this day."

Her return was delayed by a hamstring pull last month. "I was planning to come back at the Federation Cup, but I pulled my hamstring. A big thanks to the Athletics Federation of India, who allowed me to compete and always encouraged me," she said.

Yarraji's injury was a major setback for Indian athletics with the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games approaching. During recovery, she faced mental fears. "A lot of thoughts came into my head. Is this the end? Is it all over? But I told myself no, there is a lot more for me there."

Removing the mental fear became as important as physical recovery. "When I started training again, I was scared of the hurdles. I used cushioning on top of the hurdles so they wouldn't hurt me. Even during the first race today, I was a little scared. But once I completed the race, my nerves calmed down."

The one-year recovery has made her mentally tougher. "The reason I was able to run under 13s today is because I'm mentally stronger. While I'm not sure how much physically I have improved, this injury has made me 10 times stronger mentally."

Yarraji, who trains at the Reliance Foundation, received consistent support from her coach James Hillier and her recovery team. "When I was injured, my coach James was in Europe. He immediately said he was sorry but not to worry, I would make a comeback. As I prepared for my comeback, he wrote a letter for me, gave me my favourite blueberries and told me I would become a champion. Such small gestures mean a lot."

She also worked with strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard. "I have been working with Wayne sir for the past two months, and his addition has made a big difference. As my fitness improves, I will go further low in my timings."

With a timing of 12.99s, Yarraji is on course for the Asian Games to be held in Aichi Nagoya in 2026.