Indian athletes have once again made their mark on the international stage, delivering exceptional performances in recent meets across Europe.
Hurdler Jyothi Yarraji emerged as a standout, claiming a well-deserved gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the T-Meeting 2023 athletics meet in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Additionally, Selva Prabhu displayed his prowess in the triple jump, securing a gold medal at the Venizelia-Chania 2023 athletics meet in Greece.
In an impressive display of talent, Jyothi Yarraji triumphed in the highly competitive women’s 100m hurdles event at the T-Meeting 2023. The 23-year-old athlete clocked an impressive time of 13.20 seconds in the final, earning her the gold medal in this category E World Ranking competition.
Demonstrating her consistency and skill, Jyothi had earlier topped the heats with a time of 13.08 seconds. Angel Agwazie of Belgium secured the silver medal with a time of 13.64 seconds, while Dutch athlete Mira Groot claimed the bronze with a time of 13.78 seconds.
This remarkable victory marked Jyothi Yarraji’s second consecutive gold medal within two days. Prior to her triumph in Tilburg, she had clinched the gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Kurpfalz Gala 2023 athletics meet in Weinheim, Germany.
Setting a season-best time of 12.84 seconds, she narrowly missed her national record by a mere 0.02 seconds in the final of this World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meet.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath showcased his exceptional talent in the men’s 400m race at the T-Meeting 2023. The 27-year-old Indian athlete secured a bronze medal with a commendable time of 48.43 seconds.
Afsal, who holds a personal best of 48.22 seconds set in Thenhipalam, Kerala in 2022, demonstrated his determination and skill on the track. In the men’s 100m event, Amlan Borgohain displayed a promising performance, finishing fourth in the heats with a time of 10.55 seconds. However, Borgohain did not participate in the final.
On the international stage, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran brought further glory to India, capturing the gold medal in the men’s triple jump event at the Venizelia-Chania International 2023 athletics meet in Greece.
The 18-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu showcased his exceptional talent by achieving a personal best and surpassing the junior national record. With an impressive leap of 16.78 meters, Selva Prabhu secured the top spot on the podium.
His three legal jumps of 16.34m, 16.78m, and 16.25m demonstrated his consistency and dominance in the event.
Notably, his second jump alone proved enough to secure the gold medal and break the junior national record. Last year, Selva Prabhu had also won a silver medal in the World Athletics U20 Championships with a jump of 16.15 meters in Colombia.
In the men’s long jump event at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet, Jeswin Aldrin represented India with distinction, finishing fifth overall. The 21-year-old athlete achieved a commendable distance of 7.66 meters, showcasing his talent and potential on the international stage.
Aldrin, who currently holds the men’s long jump national record of 8.42 meters set at the National Open Jumps competition in Bellary earlier this year, displayed remarkable skills. Jalen Rucker of Australia claimed the gold medal with a jump of 7.86 meters, while France’s Jules Pommery (7.84m) and Greece’s Nikolaos Stamatonikolos (7.81m) secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The remarkable achievements of Jyothi Yarraji, Selva Prabhu, and Jeswin Aldrin highlight the rising prowess of Indian athletes on the global stage. These outstanding performances not only bring glory to the nation but also inspire the next generation of athletes to strive for excellence. The Indian contingent continues to impress and gain recognition for their talent, dedication, and hard work in the field of athletics. (Edited)
