Seema Kumari Ends India’s 16-Year Wait for Asian Games 10,000m Medal

New Delhi, September 24, 2026 India’s long wait for another Asian Games medal in the women’s 10,000m ended on Thursday as Seema Kumari raced to bronze at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The result marked India’s return to the podium in the event after 16 years, with the previous medals coming through Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut in 2010. Seema clocked 32:50.05 to finish third, behind Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi, who won gold in 32:39.18, and Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, who secured silver in 32:41.54. Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei placed fourth in 33:03.21. Seema started strongly, leading through the opening 2,000m after crossing 1,000m in 3:18.12 and 2,000m in 6:36.13. As the race gathered pace, Seema slipped to fourth but remained within reach of the podium. She moved back into third with 1,000m remaining and maintained her position through the closing stages. Her bronze made her only the third Indian woman to medal in the Asian Games 10,000m, following Sreedharan’s gold and Raut’s silver at the 2010 edition. The Himachal Pradesh-born distance runner entered the Games after a strong run of form. Seema recorded a personal best of 32:02.43 over 10,000m at The TEN in California in March 2026 and improved her 5,000m best to 15:16.20 the following month. Her recent achievements also include 5,000m silver at the 2025 FISU World University Games, gold at the 2024 Asian Cross Country Championships and 10,000m gold at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships. India also progressed in the men’s 100m, with Animesh Kujur and national record holder Gurindervir Singh qualifying for Friday’s semifinals. Kujur finished third in his heat in 10.36 seconds, while Gurindervir took second in his heat with 10.38 seconds. Their qualification, combined with Seema’s historic bronze, added to India’s momentum on the athletics track.