Paris Olympics: How an injury helped Jyothi Yarraji get stronger and confident for the Games

Mumbai, July 17 (IANS) There is success at the end of adversity for all those hard-working people who have a positive attitude. Indian hurdler Jyothi Yarraji found a silver lining in troubled times when she suffered an injury in May, just a couple of months before the Olympic Games in Paris. 

Jyothi was left a bit scared when she suffered a hip flexor injury while competing in Finland in May but the 24-year-old National Record holder in women's 100m hurdles, maintained a positive attitude and worked hard in the gym, working on her upper body, even though she could not walk and run.

As a result, says coach James Hillier, Jyothi is now stronger and better prepared for the Olympics than she was earlier, the injury actually coming out to be a blessing in disguise for the athlete supported by Reliance Foundation.

"Yeah, it's an interesting situation because it was effectively five weeks from the injury to when she raced at the Inter-state (National Inter-State Athletics Championship in Panchkula, Haryana). And Jyothi did just one session before that, effectively one run over hurdles. So, after one practice session before the competition, she still ran 13.06 seconds, which is phenomenal. So, actually, she's gained confidence after the injury. I believe she's more confident now than had she not had the injury," Hillier said during an interaction organised by Reliance Foundation.

Hillier discussed in detail the impact the injury break had on her preparations and how it steeled her resolve to continue working on her strength and become better.

"She never stopped training (despite the injury). So, the only day she didn't train was the next day when she couldn't physically walk. After that, she was in the gym. She was straight in the gym. She was doing upper body, she was doing everything that she could do. So, what we did is we just changed the focus of training. She was in the gym five hours a day doing strength training, postural training, coordination training, proprioception training, all this sort of stuff.

"Now, she's come back from the injury, and she's now fitter, faster, stronger than she would have been had she not got injured. I'm absolutely convinced of it. What she's been doing in training here has been phenomenal.

"Her posture now, the position she's hitting are so good because she's had five weeks of strength training. So, okay, she wasn't doing hurdle training at that time, but she didn't need to do hurdle training. She's already fit for that. So, the opportunity for us to change the focus of training has actually, I believe, delivered us a better athlete and a better, better-prepared athlete for the Olympic Games.

Hillier said Jyothi has learned a lot from that injury and how it has helped her use adversity to build for success.

"So, this injury has been part of her journey and has actually been a really, really positive thing, not a negative thing. So, yeah, and kudos to Jyothi, because her mindset during this has been so professional. She accepted the injury very, very quickly, and she went straight into focus, focusing on the training that we gave her. And she was extremely positive, extremely dedicated, and, you know, the things that she's learned from this injury will make her a stronger person and a stronger athlete in this Olympic Games," said Hillier on Wednesday.

Hillier said Jyothi has emerged better and stronger from the injury. He said this would help her perform better at the Olympics.

"I believe she's a better and stronger person for this injury. Everybody that's at the Olympics will have issues, right? Everybody's going to be dealing with stuff. So this is part of an athlete's life, you know, this is how it goes. But, yeah, I believe now she's stronger than she's ever been, in the mind, in the body, and the injury is part of the preparation, and it's weirdly been a good thing. So, yeah, let's see how it all goes," said the coach about her ward with whom he has been working since 2018.

On her part, Jyothi said the injury was one of the numerous disappointments she has faced in the last few years. She said keeping a positive mindset helped her overcome that difficult period and emerge stronger.

"There are a lot of disappointing moments. There is one in every situation we face. Whenever I face some challenges, whenever I hit some hurdles or I break the record, still it's not considered or I can't do what I want in the race all the time. I used to just tell myself that 'we are humans. It's okay. Just keep focusing. Don't lose yourself. And you have a bright future'. The things, everything, positivity, whatever I can tell to myself and I go forward and do the things just I said to myself.

"I really got a little scared because it's really ahead of the Olympics, it's not a good time to occur. The injuries, we can't change. Nobody accepted it this time. Everyone else is training, but we won't be able to do what we want to do. So, the time I just cry and we see that. So I don't do that. I always go to the gym if I have pain in the flexor. I just worked on my upper body and I work on my calves and work for my harmonies, hamstrings, and I did meditation, breathing exercises, and worked on my concentration," said Jyothi about how she worked her way through the injury setback," she said.

Jyothi, the Asian Championship, Asian Games, and Summer University Games medallist, said she worked step by step in the gym, building on strength and making the most of the opportunity. Asked how she managed to keep a positive attitude during this testing period and the various others she faced over the years, Jyothi said her first reaction to problems and adversity is to cry herself out and get into repairing the problem and improving herself.

"If anything goes wrong, I will cry. Then I will remove my pain and start again. That's it. But the thing is, this is my job, right? This is what I love to do. So I have to accept the minus points and try to go forward. I don't have any options. I don't have any second option. This is what it is, it is a do-or-die situation. If I'm not working on improving myself, then I won't be able to do it in my whole future. I have to push now. If I'm not pushing now, I'm breaking my hopes and my career and my capabilities, unable to be what I want to be in the future," said Jyothi, who is currently training in Poland. She will be participating in an event this weekend before reaching Paris on July 29.

--IANS

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