Faster, fitter Jyothi back on top

Jyothi Yarraji is not known for explosive starts. The 25-year-old typically begins steady and surges in the latter half of the race.

- Shantanu Srivastava

NEW DELHI: It's not the most conventional rhythm, but it has served India's top hurdler well.

Sticking to her familiar strategy at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, on Thursday, Yarraji clinched gold in 100m hurdles in 12.96s, breaking the Championship record held by China's Yun Feng (12.97s) since 1998. Japan's Yumi Tanaka and China's Wu Yanni, both clocking 13.07s, followed. Yarraji was the only athlete to dip below 13 seconds in the cold and wet conditions.

Starting in Lane 7, she was slow off the blocks and remained in the bottom two until the fifth hurdle. Then, her trademark acceleration kicked in. She breezed past her competitors, surged into the lead at the eighth hurdle, and crossed the finish line in top gear. "I don't usually shout in happiness. I've shouted in sadness before, but this celebration was a first," she said. Her vocal celebration reflected the significance of the moment for Yarraji, who is coming off a hamstring strain.