Seema Kumari wins Asian Games 10,000m bronze

Seema Kumari won bronze in the women’s 10,000 metres at the 2026 Asian Games on September 24, giving India its first podium finish in the event in 16 years. The 25-year-old finished in 32:50.05 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, behind Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi, who won in 32:39.18, and Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, who took silver in 32:41.54. Kumari’s result was also reported as India’s first athletics medal at these Games. The race marked her Asian Games debut and added a bronze to India’s athletics tally. The final unfolded as a tactical contest. Kumari stayed close to the leading runners as the race progressed and remained in contention through the closing stages. Yavi and Tanaka moved ahead to contest the top two places, while Kumari held off the chase to secure third. The three medalists crossed the line within 11 seconds of one another. The bronze ends a 16-year gap since India last reached the women’s 10,000m podium at the Asian Games, according to reports of the result. Kumari’s finish of 32:50.05 was slower than her reported personal best of 32:02.43, set earlier in 2026, but placed her among the event’s medalists in Nagoya.