Indian long-distance runner
However, the journey to this achievement was marked by a personal decision to shield her family from anxiety. Seema, who hails from Reta village in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, revealed that she opted not to inform her 78-year-old mother about her trip to Japan. Concerned that her mother’s health issues, specifically high blood pressure, would be exacerbated by worry, Seema told her she was heading to Bengaluru for a routine training camp at the SAI Centre instead.
A Tactical Race and Future Ambitions
Reflecting on the race, Seema noted that the competition was highly tactical, with participants prioritising podium finishes over personal best times. Despite her initial ambition to secure gold, she expressed satisfaction with her bronze-medal performance in what was her debut appearance at the Asian Games. The athlete, who previously earned a silver medal at the World University Games last year, credited her recent progress to training under coach Scott Simon.
The training environment, which includes working alongside Olympic champions, has been instrumental in developing both her physical performance and mental approach to elite competition. Seema remains focused on her upcoming schedule, with the women's 5,000m event set for September 28. She expressed a clear intent to improve upon her current result and challenge for a different medal colour in her next outing.
The youngest of six children, Seema lost her father at the age of 12 and grew up herding cattle while running barefoot. Despite facing social stigma in her village for pursuing
