P.T. Usha hails Seema's bronze, ends 16-year Asian Games wait
Synopsis
India's 16-year drought in the women's 10,000m at the Asian Games ended in Nagoya as Seema Kumari claimed bronze, with IOA president P.T. Usha — herself a sprint legend — celebrating courtside. The mixed 4x400m relay team added a silver, extending India's unbroken podium run in that event to three consecutive editions.
Key Takeaways
Seema Kumari won bronze in the women's 10,000m at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya , clocking 32:50.05 .
It was India's first medal in the event since 2010 , ending a 16-year wait .
India's mixed 4x400m relay team — Poovamma, Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj, and Manu TS — won silver in 3:14.46 .
Bahrain set a Games record of 3:12.87 to win relay gold; Vietnam was third by just 0.08 seconds .
Usha attended the Games in person and congratulated both medal-winning teams on X .
India has now won medals in the mixed 4x400m relay at three consecutive Asian Games — gold at Jakarta 2018, silver at Hangzhou 2023, silver at Nagoya 2026.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P.T. Usha on Thursday, 24 September 2026 congratulated distance runner Seema Kumari and India's mixed 4x400m relay team on their medal-winning performances at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. Usha, who is personally present in Nagoya to support the Indian contingent, described Seema's bronze as the end of a 16-year wait for India in the event.
Seema Kumari's Historic Bronze
Seema clocked 32:50.05 to finish third in the women's 10,000m, behind Bahrain's Winfred Yavi, who won gold in 32:39.18, and Japan's Nozomi Tanaka, who claimed silver in 32:41.54. It was India's first medal in the women's 10,000m at the Asian Games since 2010, when Preeja Sreedharan won gold and Kavita Raut won silver at the Guangzhou edition.
Seema made a strong start, leading the field through the opening 2,000 metres before slipping to fourth as the pace intensified. She regained third place with 1,000 metres remaining and held on composure to secure the podium finish. Usha took to X to honour the achievement, writing: 'Hearty congratulations to Seema Kumari on winning the bronze in the women's 10,000m! Your achievement has ended the 16-year wait for this medal and opened doors for more such wins. Chase your dreams harder now and make the country proud!'
Mixed 4x400m Relay Team Claims Silver
India's 4x400m mixed relay quartet — Machettira Poovamma, Vishal Thennarasu, Ramraj Vithya, and Thekkinalil Manu — clocked 3:14.46 to finish second behind Bahrain, who set a Games record of 3:12.87. Vietnam finished third in 3:14.54, just 0.08 seconds behind the Indian quartet.
Usha, who is a celebrated former sprinter herself, posted: 'Congratulations to our 4X400m Mixed Relay team of Poovamma Raju, Vishal Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj and Manu TS for clinching the silver medal! Seeing your victory in the event closest to my heart filled me with immense pride. Wishing you many more such wins in the future!'
India's Relay Legacy and Momentum
The silver continues India's strong run in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games. India won gold at Jakarta 2018 and silver at Hangzhou 2023, and now adds another silver in Nagoya 2026, underlining the event as one of India's most consistent medal disciplines in continental athletics. Notably, the mixed relay format became an official Asian Games event only after Tokyo 2020's Olympic success, making India's back-to-back podium finishes a significant marker of depth in the country's athletics pipeline.
What This Means for Indian Athletics
Seema's bronze is particularly significant given the relative neglect of long-distance events in Indian athletics development programmes. This comes amid a broader uptick in India's track-and-field results at Asian Games, with coaches and selectors under pressure to sustain the momentum into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle. Usha's visible presence at Nagoya signals the IOA's active engagement with athlete welfare beyond administrative functions — a shift from the association's earlier, more distant posture.
Point of View
Making a podium finish at the continental level all the more striking. The mixed 4x400m relay silver reinforces that India's strength in relay disciplines is now a structural feature, not a fluke, though the razor-thin margin over Vietnam (0.08 seconds) is a reminder that this depth is still fragile. P.T. Usha's courtside presence and social media engagement signal a more hands-on IOA leadership style, but real institutional support for distance runners will be measured in training grants and selection policy, not congratulatory posts. The bigger question is whether these Nagoya performances translate into a credible LA 2028 roadmap — or remain feel-good moments in a cycle that lacks a long-term endurance programme.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Seema Kumari win at the 2026 Asian Games?
Seema Kumari won the bronze medal in the women's 10,000m at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, clocking 32:50.05. It was India's first medal in that event at the Asian Games since 2010.
Why is Seema Kumari's bronze historically significant?
It ended a 16-year wait for India in the women's 10,000m at the Asian Games. The last Indian medals in the event were Preeja Sreedharan's gold and Kavita Raut's silver at the 2010 Guangzhou edition.
How did India's mixed 4x400m relay team perform at Nagoya 2026?
The quartet of Machettira Poovamma, Vishal Thennarasu, Ramraj Vithya, and Thekkinalil Manu won silver, clocking 3:14.46. Bahrain won gold in a Games-record 3:12.87, while Vietnam finished third just 0.08 seconds behind India.
What did P.T. Usha say about the medal winners?
IOA president P.T. Usha posted congratulatory messages on X for both medal-winning teams. She called Seema's bronze the end of a '16-year wait' and said watching the relay victory in 'the event closest to my heart filled me with immense pride.'
How has India performed in the mixed 4x400m relay at recent Asian Games?
India has won medals in three consecutive Asian Games editions in the mixed 4x400m relay — gold at Jakarta 2018, silver at Hangzhou 2023, and silver again at Nagoya 2026, making it one of India's most consistent athletics disciplines at the continental level.
