New Delhi, September 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated distance runner Seema Kumari after she won a historic bronze medal in the women’s 10,000m at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
Seema clocked 32:50.05 to finish third at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, ending India’s 16-year wait for a medal in the women’s 10,000m at the Asian Games.
Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won gold in 32:39.18, while Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka took silver in 32:41.54. Seema finished 10.87 seconds behind Yavi, while Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei was fourth in 33:03.21.
“Proud of Seema for winning the Bronze Medal in the Women’s 10,000m at the Asian Games! Congrats to her. Her determined performance has brought India a medal in this event after many years. A wonderful achievement that reflects endurance, discipline and years of hard work,” Modi said in a post shared by the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Wishing her many more successes in the times ahead,” he added.
Seema remained in contention throughout the race after making a strong start. She led the field through the opening 2,000m, completing the first 1,000m in 3:18.12 and reaching the 2,000m mark in 6:36.13.
As the pace increased, Seema dropped to fourth but stayed within touching distance of the leading runners. With 1,000m remaining, she moved back into third and maintained her position through the final stages to secure the bronze.
The medal also made Seema only the third Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the 10,000m. Preeja Sreedharan won gold in the event at the 2010 Asian Games, while Kavita Raut claimed silver at the same edition.
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