Asian Games 2026: Jyothi Yarraji withdraws from 100m hurdles heat after feeling knee pain

India’s 100m hurdles athlete Jyothi Yarraji, who won silver at the previous Asian Games, withdrew from her first-round heat in Nagoya on Saturday after experiencing pain during her warm-up.

An Athletics Federation of India (AFI) official confirmed that Yarraji felt pain after completing her warm-up and decided not to compete. She had been carrying a minor knee stress and had received fitness clearance shortly before being included in India’s 75-member athletics squad.

Yarraji returned to competition this year after undergoing surgery in July 2025 to repair an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in her right knee. Her withdrawal comes after she was listed to compete in the women’s 100m hurdles first-round Heat 1 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Fresh update: Yarraji’s withdrawal means Nandhini Kongan is now the only Indian scheduled in the women’s 100m hurdles heats on Saturday. Kongan is set to compete in Heat 2.

with inputs from PTI