Seema Kumari takes bronze in women’s 10,000m at Asian Games in Nagoya

India’s Seema Kumari won the bronze medal in the women’s 10,000 metres at the Asian Games 2026 at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Thursday, September 24, finishing in 32:50.05.

Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi claimed gold in the race with a time of 32:39.18, while Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka took silver in 32:41.54; Seema’s podium finish ended India’s 16-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the women’s 10,000m after the last medals came at the 2010 Guangzhou Games when Preeja Sreedharan won gold and Kavita Raut silver.

Seema started strongly and remained close to the leaders in the early stages of the race, staying within touching distance of Yavi and Tanaka through much of the field.

As the race entered its final lap the top two runners accelerated and pulled clear from Seema, who nonetheless maintained composure to secure third place, finishing 10.87 seconds behind Yavi.

The Indian finished more than 13 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan, who was recorded as clocking 32:50.05.

A native of Himachal Pradesh, Seema had previously won a silver medal in the 5,000m at the 2025 World University Games and a gold at the 2024 Asian Cross Country Championships.

Seema Kumari’s bronze is India’s first Asian Games medal in the women’s 10,000m since the 2010 Guangzhou edition.