India’s Jyothi Yarraji, who made history as the first Indian woman to compete in the 100m hurdles at the Olympics. Was unable to advance to the semi-finals at the Paris 2024 Games. Competing in the repechage round on Thursday at the Stade de France, Yarraji finished fourth in her heat, clocking a time of 13.17 seconds.
In a highly competitive heat, South Africa’s Marione Fourie led the pack with a time of 12.79 seconds. Followed by Maayke Tjin-A-Lim of the Netherlands, who posted a season’s best of 12.87 seconds. Only the top two athletes from each repechage heat advanced to the semi-finals, leaving Yarraji just short of progression.
Yarraji, who holds the Indian national record of 12.78 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles, had earlier placed seventh in her Round 1 heat, recording a time of 13.16 seconds. Overall, she ranked 35th among the 40 competitors in her Olympic debut.
The Olympic qualification format saw the top three finishers in each of the five heats and the next three fastest times move directly to the semi-finals. The remaining athletes, including Yarraji, competed in the repechage round for another chance to qualify.
Despite not advancing, Yarraji’s journey to Paris was a significant milestone for Indian athletics. She qualified for the Olympics based on her world ranking and has been a consistent performer on the international stage. However, she was unable to replicate her national record time of 12.78 seconds. Which she achieved earlier this year at the Motonet GP in Finland.
India’s track and field campaign at Paris 2024 has seen mixed results. While star athletes like Neeraj Chopra prepare to defend their titles. And Avinash Sable recently finished 11th in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, the overall performance has been challenging. As Yarraji’s Olympic debut concludes, all eyes now turn to Chopra’s upcoming javelin throw final, where he will look to secure another gold for India.
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