Gumi, South Korea, December 24, 2025 Jyothi Yarraji ran 12.96 seconds in her bid to defend her Asian Athletics Championships 100m hurdles gold medal, breaking the record of the championship in a drenched stadium that was empty. The Visakhapatnam sprinter was a step ahead of Asia’s top athletes and established her place as the fastest woman hurdler in India and secured World Championships dreams.
Championship Record Shattered Amid Pouring Rain
Jyothi Yarraji battled through endless downpours at Gumi’s Stadium that was completely flooded by weather to take victory ahead of Japanese Yumi Tanaka as well as China’s Wu Yanni. Her soaring late surge following the eighth barrier was decisive, with her flawless performance under the pressure. The 12.96s time was her first sub-13 run in 2025, dissolving previous records and reinforcing the supremacy of the continent.
Despite a cautious start Yarraji’s superior pace and her speed in the closing stages dominated competitors. British trainer James Hillier praised her “flawless” performance, praising the gains in strength, a slimmer body, and sharper race-intelligence honed in Bhubaneswar’s High-Performance Centre. This win was similar to her 2023 Bangkok win, both in a stadium that was almost empty, which demonstrated her ability to compete against the clock, without crowd approval.
Technical Evolution Fuels Yarraji’s World-Class Finish
Yarraji returned to a safer eight-stride technique following Olympic trials, which reduced the risk of injury while also restoring her fluency. The change made her an explosive finisher, with increased strength and skill shining through Gumi’s struggles. The coaches praised her transformation from being a young talent to a tactical expert capable of analyzing races in mid-flight.
The journey she took from Visakhapatnam’s humble beginnings to her financial struggles and borrowed spikes–is a testament to Indian athletics’ progress. Yarraji’s gold medal added to the medal tally of India and inspired a generation, while also highlighting women’s achievements in hurdles. The viral videos of her joyous celebration reverberated all over the world, capturing the quiet perseverance behind the elite achievements.
Redemption After Paris Olympics Heartbreak
After the Paris Olympics defeat, Gumi represented pure redemption. The mental toughness of the athlete shined through when Yarraji came back to the biggest stage in Asia, disarming doubters with her imposing control. This victory confirmed her program of training, and positioned her for the future challenges.
Experts now support Yarraji to pursue her 12.73s World Championships entry standard. Her Gumi masterclass boosts the chances of qualifying as momentum builds towards 2026’s competitions. Coach Hillier insists on a steady focus and predicting more breakthroughs as she refines her technique.
The Indian athletics federation celebrated the win as a significant moment and called for greater spending on the development of hurdles. The success of Yarraji opens the way for athletes in the young age group, and demonstrates that the quality of athletes goes beyond applause.
