Seema Kumari ends 16-year drought with Asian Games 10,000m bronze
Seema Kumari won the bronze medal in the women's 10,000 metres final at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday, September 24, 2026, clocking 32:50.05 to finish third behind Bahrain's Winfred Yavi (32:39.18) and Japan's Nozomi Tanaka (32:41.54). Her podium finish ended a 16-year wait for India in the women's 10,000m at the Asian Games and was only the third time an Indian athlete has medalled in the event.
The final unfolded as a tightly contested race that separated the leading athletes from the main field as they approached the closing stages. Winfred Yavi and Nozomi Tanaka emerged as the primary contenders for gold, engaging in a late duel that the Bahraini ultimately won by a slim margin. Seema maintained position off the leading pair and managed to keep clear of the chasing group to secure bronze.
Yavi recorded 32:39.18 to take gold and Tanaka posted 32:41.54 for silver; the two athletes pushed the pace in the final laps with Yavi edging ahead. Seema finished in 32:50.05 after staying composed under pressure, crossing the line before the rest of the pack. The race tested patience and endurance among the front runners as the field fragmented.
Born on January 10, 2001, in Himachal Pradesh, Seema Kumari has competed primarily in the 5,000m and 10,000m distances and has built a record of consistent performances across both events. She won the senior women's race at the 2024 Asian Cross Country Championships in Hong Kong and took silver in the 5,000m at the 2025 FISU World University Games. Earlier in 2026 she won gold in the 10,000m at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
In international competition this year Seema posted a personal best of 32:02.43 in the 10,000m at The TEN in California in March, finishing fifth in that field, and a month later improved her 5,000m best to 15:16.20. Those marks were cited as part of her progression heading into the Asian Games.
Seema has been part of the Khelo India programme since July 2018 and received support for training at the National Coaching Camp ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. She has also been a beneficiary of financial assistance under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).
At 25, Seema has now added an Asian Games bronze to her growing list of achievements and established herself as one of India's leading long-distance runners.
