Inter-State Championships: Jyothi wants to improve slowly and keen to display more consistency in both 100m and 100m hurdles  Premium

Jyothi, who is the first Indian woman to go below 13 seconds and has clocked sub-13 seconds five times this season, returned 12.92 to win the 100m hurdles title in the National inter-State athletics championships in Bhubaneswar. Now she wants to improve slowly while maintaining her consistency.

Hurdler Jyothi Yarraji values consistency and is ready to get past any obstacles to achieve that.

Jyothi, who is the first Indian woman to go below 13 seconds and has clocked sub-13 seconds five times this season, returned 12.92 to win the 100m hurdles title in the National inter-State athletics championships in Bhubaneswar. Now she wants to improve slowly while maintaining her consistency.

Even though she made the cut for the Asian Games, Jyothi was a bit disappointed as she could not drop her time to the targeted 12.7 range at the Kalinga Stadium.

“I am not happy with 12.9. I want to break it and do 12.7. I know where I am making a mistake — it’s within the first six hurdles and I need time to speed up from there. I want to qualify for the World Championships (qualifying mark: 12.78). Hopefully, God will give me another day,” said Jyothi, who had claimed the Federation Cup crown last month with 12.89.

Jyothi, who also clinched the 100m gold in Bhubaneswar and aims to take part in the relays in upcoming big events, said, “Actually, I was very tired doing 100m and 100m hurdles, but did not recover well (For recovery, I am eating and sleeping. I have a good habit, I sleep well). Mistakes are there in 100m as well, but it is still better (to get) 11.46. Last year, I tried so many times to go below 13s (in 100m hurdles). God will give me one more chance. I am waiting for that day. I want to have more consistency in both 100m and 100m hurdles. The 100m performance will help me run with the relay team.”

Jyothi has gathered some valuable experience of late. “Last year I dipped to sub-13 in my last competition (National Open in October 2022). This time the focus is on to continue the good work and keep it at sub-13 level. In the Poland (Janusz Kusocinski Memorial) event, I got the experience of how to participate and handle myself because I had never competed with an Olympic champion (Jasmine Chamaco-Quinn). I ran 13.03, while in other events I ran sub-13. It was a good experience as it taught me how to control my emotions and keep my focus in different circumstances.

“Camacho-Quinn was next to me and there were five athletes who had run under 13 seconds. She is my favourite athlete, so I was a little confused whether to watch her or to focus on myself. I panicked.