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Seema Kumari’s Asian Games Bronze Ends India’s 16-Year Wait
Seema Kumari is a runner from a remote village in Himachal Pradesh.
She won a bronze medal in the women’s 10,000-metre race at the 2026 Asian Games.
She finished the race in 32 minutes and 50.05 seconds.
Two runners from Bahrain and Japan finished ahead of her.
Seema trained on roads and a small school ground because her village had few professional facilities.
Her mother and brother watched the race on television at home.
The family was very happy, although they wished Seema’s late father could have seen the achievement.
Her medal also ended India’s 16-year wait for a medal in this Asian Games event.
Seema Kumari won bronze in the women’s 10,000 metres at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
She finished in 32 minutes 50.05 seconds behind Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi and Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka.
The medal was India’s first in the Asian Games women’s 10,000 metres since 2010.
Seema grew up in Churah, Himachal Pradesh, and trained on mountain roads and a small school ground.
Her family in Reta village celebrated while remembering her late father, who died when she was young.
- Who
- Seema Kumari, a 25-year-old Indian distance runner from Chamba district, won the medal.
- What
- She won bronze in the women’s 10,000 metres at the Asian Games.
- Where
- The race was held in Japan at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games; Seema’s family watched from Reta village in Churah, Himachal Pradesh.
- When
- Thursday, September 24, 2026.
- Why
- Seema’s determination and long-term training led to the result, which also ended India’s 16-year wait for a medal in the event.
Key facts
- Medalist
- Seema Kumari
- Event
- Women’s 10,000 metres
- Result
- Bronze medal
- Time
- 32:50.05
- Race winner
- Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, 32:39.18
- Silver medalist
- Nozomi Tanaka of Japan, 32:41.54
- India’s previous medals
- Preeja Sreedharan won gold and Kavita Raut won silver at Guangzhou in 2010
Quotes
Kesari Devi
Seema Kumari’s mother.
“She had a great passion for sports since childhood. She was determined to make it”
thestatesman.com
“If only her father were alive, the joy would have been even greater”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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