From the bustling streets of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to the grand stadiums of the Olympics, Jyothi Yarraji, the phenom hurdler has overcome colossal hurdles in her athletic journey to race her way to Paris.

Fueled by grit, resilience and the relentless pursuit of dreams, Jyothi has scripted history as the first Indian woman to compete in the 100m hurdles at the Olympics. After finishing seventh in her heat at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she will now compete in the repechage round on 8 August, 2024, for a place in the semi-final.

Early life and education

Born on 28 August, 1999, Jyothi’s life was marked by simplicity and hard work. She grew up in a modest household, with her father, Suryanarayana, working as a private security guard and her mother, Kumari, as a part-time domestic help.

Their combined income was less than Rs 18,000 per month. Despite their modest means, Jyothi’s parents always gave paramount importance to education. She is currently pursuing her graduation in history at Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

When Jyothi was a student at Port High School in Visakhapatnam, her physical education teacher first recognised her potential. Her height and agility were seen as perfect attributes for a hurdler. After this, there was no looking back. Jyothi, motivated by a desire to support her family and driven by an emerging passion for athletics, dedicated herself to the sport.

In 2015, she first came into the spotlight after winning the gold medal at an Andhra Pradesh inter-district meet.

Five years of endless training

In 2016, Jyothi’s journey took a........

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