When Jyothi Yarraji, the fastest Indian hurdler, takes to the track at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she will be in uncharted territory.
Jyothi, supported by the Reliance Foundation, will be the first Indian woman ever to compete in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Olympics.
The women’s 100m hurdles event has been a part of every Olympics since 1972, but this will be the first time that an Indian athlete will feature on the start list.
Nita M. Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, of Reliance Foundation, said as quoted from a press release by Reliance Foundation, “We are overjoyed and immensely proud of our Reliance Foundation athlete, Jyothi Yarraji, for becoming the first Indian to qualify for the women’s 100m hurdles at the Olympics. Jyothi’s journey, her dedication, and her incredible achievement are a testament to the power of dreams and relentless hard work. She embodies the spirit, talent, and resilience of the youth of India.”
“At Reliance Foundation, we remain committed to supporting Jyothi and all our young athletes in every way we can. We wish Jyothi and the entire Indian contingent the very best for the Paris Games! May they keep the tricolour soaring high, as they represent the dreams, hopes, and prayers of 1.4 billion Indians on the global stage,” Nita Ambani added.
The reigning national record holder in the event, Jyothi is also the only Indian woman ever to medal in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Asian Games, where she won silver last year after showing impressive fortitude in standing her ground after a false disqualification.