Seema Kumari ended India’s 16-year drought in women’s 10000m event at the Asian Games, as the 25-year-old from Himachal Pradesh took home the bronze medal in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday. She clocked 32.50.05s to take the third prize behind gold medal-winning Winfred Yavi of Bahrain (32:39.18s) and silver medallist Yingying Huang of China (32:41.54s).
The last time India won a medal in the women’s 10000m event at the Asian Games was in 2010 when the country finished one-two in the podium, courtesy Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut. While Sreedharan won gold with a NR timing of 31:50.47s, Raut’s PB of31:51.44s won her a silver.
Seema’s medal was also India’s first in athletics at the Asian Games 2026.
A native of Himachal Pradesh, long-distance runner Seema established herself as one of the prominent faces in India’s 5,000m and 10,000m events. She has represented India at major international competitions and has developed into a consistent performer on the national and international circuit.
Earlier this year in March, Seema recorded a personal best of 32:02.43s in the 10,000m at The TEN in California, placing herself fifth in a high-level international field. She also improved her 5000m personal best to 15:16.20m in April 2026. Seema’s consistent performances have established her as one of India’s leading distance runners, with the 10,000m and 5000m forming the main focus of her senior career.
2025 FISU World University Games – 5000m – Silver
2024 Asian Cross Country Championships, Hong Kong – Senior Women’s Race – Gold
2026 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships – 10,000m – Gold
