Jyothi Yarraji explains her handwritten tribute to late mentor Sai Gautham

On October 2, Jyothi Yarraji stood on the podium after finishing in the top three of the 100m hurdles race at the Asian Games, clutching a handwritten note that read "Gautham, this is for you, we miss you."

After a race marked by false start drama, Yarraji had to make do with silver, which she dedicated to her late friend and mentor Sai Gautham.

“Actually, I wanted to win a gold for him at the Asian Games. But it was not to be. The message on the bib was my way of paying tribute to Gautham. I felt that I should dedicate the medal to him. He was always there for me… He was one of my seniors, he motivated me and inspired me in everything,” the athlete told The Indian Express.

Sai Gautham, himself a national-level hurdler, was there for Jyothi Yarraji from day one and was the first one to tell the youngster she had potential. Speaking on their chance meeting, she said,

He was the first person ever to tell me that I had talent. He happened to be in my hometown (Visakhapatnam) to visit relatives. He saw me at the ground where I was training. This was in 2015, when I had just started out.

"He told me that there is a SAI hostel for talented athletes, and put in a word to a coach. He was my senior at the SAI hostel. He was like a parent to me."

Unacquainted with the world of sports, Gautham was Jyothi Yarraji's pillar of support in her early days at the hostel, guiding her on everything from how to clear hurdles to what a sportsperson's diet should look like.

Gautham even got the Asian Games silver medalist her first pair of Nike shoes when she needed them.

“It was the first Nike shoes that I had ever owned. I had Nivia shoes, and that itself was a big thing for me. But when I told him I was feeling a little pain, he got me a pair of Nike shoes," Yarraji recounted.

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Jyothi Yarraji on losing her mentor

Day 4 - World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

Jyothi Yarraji first made the news in 2023 for her gold medal-winning performance at the Asian Athletics Championships. While the country was busy celebrating her fantastic achievement, she turned to her mentor to thank him for all he had done for her over the years.

Speaking on her phone call to Gautham after the race, Yarraji said,

“When I won the Asian Championships, he was so happy. I thanked him for everything. He had recently got married and was attending functions at that time. I called him after the competition. I told him this was my first major competition (outdoor) and wanted to share the joy with him. It was a wonderful moment for both of us."

Unfortunately, a month later, Gautham died in an accident in Kakinada, leaving Jyothi heartbroken but determined to make him proud at the Asian Games.

“I went to see him. He was in the hospital for four days. He was one of the most important people in my life, and supported me right through my journey… He was in the ICU, there were clots in his brain… so no movement… I was there for a day. Everybody told me I should fulfill his dream. I wanted to do that at the Asian Games."

While she wasn't able to get on the top step of the podium at the Asian Games, Jyothi Yarraji is intent on pushing forward to even better performances next year.