Himachal Pradesh's Seema Shatters National Record at Tata Steel World Kolkata 25K

Celebrating Seema's Triumph

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, extended his congratulations to Seema for her outstanding achievement in clinching the gold medal at the Tata Steel World Kolkata 25K marathon held in Kolkata. Seema, hailing from Reta village in Chamba district, not only won the race but also established a new national record in the 25,000-meter event.

A Record-Breaking Performance

In the Indian elite women's category, Seema showcased an impressive performance characterized by controlled aggression. The reigning Asian Cross-country Champion and silver medallist from the World University Games clocked a remarkable time of 1:26:04, surpassing the previous Indian course record of 1:26:53 set by Suriya L in 2017. Her victory was emphatic, with Sanjivani Jhadav finishing second at 1:30:34, over four minutes behind, and Nirmaben Thakor securing third place with a time of 1:32:02.

Dominance from the Start

Seema maintained a composed demeanor at the finish line, indicating she had more energy to spare—a testament to her rigorous training and technical proficiency. Right from the start, she raced ahead of her competitors. By the 10 km mark, she had established a one-minute lead over Sanjivani, which expanded to one and a half minutes by 15 km, over two minutes by 20 km, and three minutes by the halfway point of 21.1 km. From that moment, Seema ran unchallenged, confidently crossing the finish line and easily breaking an eight-year-old course record.

Seema Reflects on Her Victory and Future Aspirations

In her remarks about the race, Seema stated, "The course route has changed, making it more challenging. However, I approached this event with a winning mindset. I am thrilled to have set a new course record, but I believe I could have performed even better had the course remained the same as before. Winning requires immense discipline and sacrifice, which I have committed to as an athlete. My next goal is to qualify for the Asian and Commonwealth Games next year."