Seema Kumari secured a hard-fought bronze medal in the women's 10000m event at the Asian Games 2026
This podium finish brought India's total medal count to 16 at the ongoing games
Prior to this success, she made history for Indian athletics by winning a silver medal in the 5000m event at the 2025 World University Games in Germany
Day 6 in Aichi-Nagoya turned out to be a landmark one for Indian athletics, and the standout moment came from an event India hadn't stood on the podium in for 16 long years. Seema Kumari clocked 32:41.54 to win bronze in the women's 10,000m, delivering her first-ever Asian Games medal and ending a drought that stretched all the way back to 2010.
With these results, India's overall tally at the Games climbed to 16 medals, with athletics finally opening its account on the podium. For Seema, a 2026 season that already included a personal best of 32:02.43 has now culminated in continental recognition — proof that India's long-distance running program is finally beginning to bear fruit on the big stage.
Seema's bronze is the latest chapter in a steady rise that's been building for years. She first announced herself on the international stage back in 2017, winning bronze in the 3000m at the Asian Youth Championships in Bangkok.
Since then, she's built a strong résumé in distance running, claiming gold in the 10km at the 2024 Asian Cross Country Championships in Hong Kong and a silver in the 5000m at the 2025 World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr. This year has been her best yet on the clock, with personal bests of 32:02.43 in the 10,000m and 15:16.20 in the 5000m — form that has now translated into her first Asian Games medal.
It capped off a productive day for the Indian contingent across the board. In wushu, Roshibina Devi continued her fine run of form with a silver in the women's 60kg sanda event, while rowing duo Satnam Singh and Salman Khan added a bronze in the men's double sculls final. The men's kabaddi team kept their unbeaten streak alive, storming into the semifinals and all but guaranteeing another medal for the contingent.
In the pool, Aryan Nehra clocked a third-place finish in the men's 800m freestyle Final B, though that swim fell outside the medal bracket.
