Indian athlete Seema has etched her name in the history books by securing a silver medal in the 5000m race at the World University Games held in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. This remarkable achievement marks her first international medal and adds to India's growing tally at the Games.
Seema clocked a season-best time of 15:35.86 to finish second, narrowly missing out on the gold medal. Julia David-Smith of France clinched the top spot with a personal best of 15:34.57. Emily Jane Parker from Japan secured the bronze medal.
This medal is particularly significant for Seema, as it represents her first major international podium finish. The 24-year-old runner has been steadily improving her performance, with a personal best in the 5000m of 15:30.70 achieved in May 2024. Her dedication and hard work have now culminated in this significant achievement on the global stage.
Seema's journey to success has not been without its challenges. It was reported that she had missed out on the 10,000m event due to an error by Indian officials. However, she bounced back strongly to qualify for the 5000m finals, finishing third in her heat with a time of 15:55.33.
Alongside Seema, Praveen Chithravel also won a silver medal in the men's triple jump event at the World University Games. Chithravel recorded a best effort of 16.66 metres. Connor Murphy of Australia, a Paris 2024 Olympian, won gold with a season-best of 16.77m.
India has been making its mark at the World University Games 2025. The Games have seen other notable achievements from Indian athletes, including a historic gold medal in archery. The mixed compound team of Parneet Kaur and Kushal Dalal secured India's first gold at the event by defeating South Korea. Adding to the archery success, Sahil Rajesh Jadhav won India's first individual gold medal in the men's individual compound archery event. Vaishnavi Adkar also became the first Indian woman tennis player to win a medal at the World University Games, securing a bronze.
Seema's silver medal in the 5000m, along with the other medals won by Indian athletes, contributes to India's overall medal tally of nine at the World University Games. These achievements highlight the growing prowess of Indian athletes in various sports and showcase the country's potential on the international stage.
