India added two medals from the athletics track at the Asian Games Thursday as Seema Kumari ended the country’s 16-year wait for a medal in the women’s 10,000m with a bronze, while the mixed 4x400m relay team successfully defended its silver. Seema clocked 32:50.05 after an intense battle in the distance event, before the quartet of Poovamma Raju, Vishal Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj and Manu TS finished second in 3:14.46.
The mixed relay silver was secured after a strong closing effort from Vithya, who produced an impressive final leg to keep India in the medal positions. Bahrain took gold in a Games record of 3:12.87, while India repeated the colour of the medal it had won at the previous edition in Hangzhou in 2023.
Seema ends long wait
Seema’s bronze was particularly significant for Indian distance running, ending a 16-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the women’s 10,000m. It was only India’s third medal in the event in Asian Games history, adding another chapter to a season in which the Himachal Pradesh runner has consistently improved her performances over the longer distances.
The race developed into an intense contest, with Seema staying in medal contention before holding her nerve through the closing stages to secure third place. Her 32:50.05 finish gave India a podium return in an event where success at the continental level has remained rare.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Seema on the achievement, describing the medal as the result of endurance, discipline and years of work. “Proud of Seema on winning the Bronze Medal in the Women’s 10,000m at the Asian Games! Congrats to her,” Modi said, adding that her performance had brought India a medal in the event after many years.
Seema had entered the Asian Games following a strong season on the international circuit. In March, she clocked a personal best of 32:02.43 in the 10,000m at The TEN in California, finishing fifth in a high-quality field, before lowering her 5000m personal best to 15:16.20 in April.
Those performances had established her among India’s leading long-distance runners ahead of the continental competition. The 5000m and 10,000m have emerged as the principal events of her senior career, with Thursday’s bronze giving her progress a major Asian Games breakthrough.
Vithya powers relay charge
India’s second medal of the day came in the mixed 4x400m relay, where Poovamma, Vishal, Vithya and Manu combined to clock 3:14.46. Bahrain proved too strong in the race for gold and crossed the line in a Games-record 3:12.87, but India held on to second place to retain the silver it had won three years ago in Hangzhou.
Vithya played a decisive role in the finish, producing a powerful effort on the final leg to secure India’s place on the podium. The performance reinforced her importance to India’s relay programme, where her speed over one lap and experience in high-pressure races have made her a key member of the national setup.
The Tamil Nadu athlete competes both as a quarter-miler and a 400m hurdler and made her major breakthrough at the 2023 Asian Games. She equalled the Indian national record in the women’s 400m hurdles there with a timing of 55.42 seconds and has since continued to feature prominently in India’s relay plans.
Vithya also represented India at the Paris Olympics in 2024, including as part of the country’s 4x400m relay setup. Her closing run Thursday ensured India converted another competitive relay performance into an Asian Games medal, completing a two-medal outing on the track alongside Seema’s historic bronze.