Jyothi Yarraji: Age, Records, Olympics & Ultimate Bio (2026)

Jyothi Yarraji holds the Indian national record in the 100m hurdles. She was the first Indian woman to go under 13 seconds in this event. Over the last five years, her path has stood out in Indian athletics, mainly because she had to work with little support. She also trained with a British coach in Bhubaneswar, and she managed to defend a title at the Asian Championships. This is a closer look at her career, marks, and background.

Article Contents

Quick Facts

Full Name	Jyothi Yarraji
Born	August 28, 1999, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Age	27 (as of 2026)
Sport	Athletics — 100m hurdles, 60m hurdles (indoor), 200m
National Records	100m hurdles: 12.78 seconds; Indoor 60m hurdles: 8.04 seconds
Coach	James Hillier (British coach, Reliance Athletics High-Performance Centre, Bhubaneswar)
Major Honor	Arjuna Award (India’s second-highest sporting honor)
Nationality	Indian

Early Life and a Modest Beginning

Yarraji was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. She grew up in a family with limited money. Her father worked as a private security guard. Her mother worked as domestic help and also as a hospital cleaner. Helping her parents was a major reason she stayed focused on athletics from the start. Even after she became well known, she kept pointing to that motivation when she spoke with the media.

She trained early under N. Ramesh, who is a Dronacharya awardee. She did this while based in Hyderabad. In 2019, her career shifted in a clear way.

The Move to Bhubaneswar and a British Coach

That year, she moved to the Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar. There she began training under the British coach James Hillier. Their work together became a key base for the national records and the medals she later won on the international stage. Hillier later spoke about her consistency and how she handled setbacks. He said these traits helped her improve, as reported by The Hindu.

Breaking the National Record

Her first national record win in the 100m hurdles came on May 10, 2022. On that day, she ran 13.23 seconds to break Anuradha Biswal’s old record. Then, in early 2023, she set her indoor 60m hurdles national record five times. Later, she became the first Indian woman to run the 100m hurdles below 13 seconds. Her best mark in that event is 12.78 seconds, and it remains the national record. She started the 2025 season by breaking her indoor 60m hurdles record again at the Meeting de Nantes Métropole in France.

International Medals and Titles

Gold, 100m hurdles, Asian Athletics Championships 2023 (Bangkok)
Gold, 100m hurdles, Asian Athletics Championships 2025 (Gumi) — a title defense, clocked in a championship-record 12.96 seconds
Silver, 100m hurdles, Asian Games 2022 (Hangzhou)
Silver, 200m, Asian Athletics Championships 2023 (Bangkok)
Gold, 60m hurdles, Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2024 (Tehran)
Silver, 60m hurdles, Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2023 (Astana)
Bronze, 100m hurdles, 2021 World University Games (Chengdu)

She was honored with the Arjuna Award, India’s second-highest sporting honor, in recognition of her achievements on the track.

Paris 2024 Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jyothi Yarraji became the first Indian woman to race the 100m hurdles at the Games. She made it through her world ranking after she missed the direct entry spot by just 0.01 seconds. She finished seventh in her heat in 13.16 seconds and fourth in her repechage heat in 13.17 seconds, which ended her campaign.

2025 Setback and Recent Form

Yarraji dealt with a knee injury in mid-2025 that interrupted her season, but she still closed out the year by winning gold in hurdles and the 200m at the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand, along with defending her Asian Championships 100m hurdles title in Gumi.

Fun Facts

She’s the first Indian woman to run the 100m hurdles in under 13 seconds.
In early 2023, she went on to reset her own national indoor hurdles mark five times.
In 2025, she held on to her title at the Asian Athletics Championships for the 100m hurdles. She also set a new championship record along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Jyothi Yarraji?

Jyothi Yarraji was born on August 28, 1999, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. She is 27 years old in 2026.

What is Jyothi Yarraji national record?

Her Indian national record in the 100m hurdles is 12.78 seconds. She was the first Indian woman to break the 13 second mark in this event. Her indoor 60m hurdles record is 8.04 seconds.

Did Jyothi Yarraji compete at the Olympics?

Yes. She took part in Paris 2024. She became the first Indian woman to run the 100m hurdles at the Olympics. She finished seventh in her heat and then finished fourth in the repechage.

Who is Jyothi Yarraji coach?

She is coached by British coach James Hillier. She trains at the Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar.

Jyothi Yarraji fastest women’s hurdler

Jyothi Yarraji’s climb from Visakhapatnam to India’s fastest women’s hurdler stands out in Indian athletics. The story is shaped by repeated record runs, a coaching partnership that worked well, and a comeback from injury that kept her strong in Asian hurdling. She remains the benchmark every rising Indian hurdler is chasing.

For official records and results, visit World Athletics.

Athletics Biography

Jyothi Yarraji: Biography, Athletics Career & Achievements