Jyothi Yarraji Breaches Asian Games Mark in Comeback Race in 110m Hurdles at Inter-State Athletics Championship

Bhubaneswar, June 24: National record holder Jyothi Yarraji made a sensational return to competitive athletics after nearly a year on the sidelines, winning her heat in the women's 100m hurdles and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games at the Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday (June 24).

Competing at the Kalinga Stadium, India's premier hurdler clocked 13.14 seconds in the heats to finish first and comfortably surpass the Asian Games qualification standard of 13.34 seconds.

The performance marked a major milestone in Yarraji's comeback journey after a serious injury kept her away from competition for almost a year.

The Andhra Pradesh athlete, India's only woman to have broken the 13-second barrier in the event,

showed little sign of rust as she eased through qualification and immediately booked her place for the continental showpiece. The women's hurdles final is scheduled for later in the evening, and Yarraji's run in the final will be closely watched.

Nandhini Kongan Also Secures Asian Games Qualification

Shortly after Yarraji's impressive run, Tamil Nadu's Nandhini Kongan produced a strong performance of her own in the second heat.

Nandhini finished first in her race with a timing of 13.24 seconds, equalling her personal best while also breaching the Asian Games qualification standard.

The back-to-back qualifying performances from Yarraji and Nandhini provided a major boost for Indian athletics ahead of next year's Asian Games.

Comeback Confirmed by MyKhel

Earlier last week, MyKhel had exclusively reported Yarraji's return to competitive action.

"I will participate in the Inter-State Championships, which will take place in the next 2-3 days," Yarraji had told MyKhel, confirming her comeback plans.

Her return had been eagerly anticipated by Indian athletics fans after months of rehabilitation following a serious injury setback.

Coaching Team Urged Caution Before Return

Despite confidence in her fitness, Yarraji's coaching team had adopted a cautious approach heading into the championships.

Reliance Foundation High Performance Director James Hillier revealed that the ideal comeback plan would have involved a few lower-profile competitions before the Inter-State Championships, but minor setbacks during rehabilitation altered those plans.

"Ideally, we would have had a couple of competitions before this one. She had a few minor setbacks, which is completely normal when athletes are coming back from serious injuries," Hillier said.

However, he stressed that Yarraji had returned to full health and was training strongly ahead of the competition.

"She's in really good shape. She's training well, and she's healthy, which I'm happy to report. "

Hillier also cautioned against expecting immediate record-breaking performances after such a lengthy absence.