Jyothi Yarraji, the woman who stunned the 2022 Asian Games with a silver in the 100m hurdles, did not start her opening heat at the 2026 Games—her first day in Hangzhou. The decision came after a sharp ache in her knee during the pre‑race warm‑up, a pain that has been nagging her since her ACL surgery in July 2025.
The knee injury, a lingering after‑effect of the ACL tear, forced her to skip the race before it even began. An AFI official confirmed that Yarraji had been cleared for the squad only at the last minute, and the warm‑up pain proved too much to ignore.
Her withdrawal means a gap in India’s medal hopes. Yarraji had been the most obvious contender to bring home gold, and her absence opens the door for younger athletes. In the same heat, Nandhini Kongan ran a 13.48‑second run to qualify for the final, giving the team a bright spot.
Meanwhile, Animesh Kujur’s 20.81‑second finish in the men’s 200m semi‑final secured him a place in the final, a bright moment for India’s sprinting squad. The Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson set a Games Record with 20.10, but Kujur’s automatic qualification keeps India in the conversation.
India now turns its focus to the next rounds. Kongan’s final will be a test, and the men’s 200m final will be just as hard. The squad’s hope is that the next Games will see Yarraji back in full form, or that new faces will step up to claim the silver and gold medals the country craves.
With the Asian Games still running, the spotlight is on these athletes to keep India’s medal tally climbing. The next match for India? The women’s 100m hurdles final, where Kongan will face the world’s best.