[In Pics] Odisha HPC’s Jyothi Yarraji Shrugs Off Controversy To Win Asian Games Silver

Bhubaneswar: Jyothi Yarraji was nearly getting ‘disqualified’ in the women’s 100m hurdles final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sunday evening due to a bizarre ‘ruling’ by race officials.

Justice was delayed but not denied and Jyothi bagged the silver medal after plenty of drama.

It all started with Chinese Yanni Wu getting out of the blocks from Lane No. 4 before the ‘go’ signal.

Track officials watched the replays many times and asked both Wu and Jyothi – who was in Lane 5 – to step aside for ‘false’ starts.

Jyothi, a Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics HPC trainee, protested and pointed out that she wasn’t the one to leave her blocks first.

All eight finalists waited as officials tried to make up their minds. After almost five minutes had elapsed, the officials allowed all eight to take part in the race, and left the final decision for a review later.

It was Yu who breasted the tape first, ahead of fellow-Chinese Lin Yuwei and Jyothi.

The winners went through an agonising wait as judges of the athletics competition went through all evidence. They finally came to the conclusion — and rightly so — that Wu had to be disqualified for her false start.

Hence, Lin was promoted to gold (12.74 secs) and Jyothi earned silver in 12.91. Japanese Tanaka Yumi, who had finished fourth, got the bronze.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Jyothi for an “amazing silver”.