Seema Punia Books Her Fourth Olympic Berth For Women's Discus Throw Event

Seema Punia is set to join Kamalpreet Kaur at Olympics 2021, making it the fourth Olympics of her career. Punia qualified for the same by breaking the event record in the women’s discus throw on the fifth and final day of the 60th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships on June 29.

The event was held at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala on Tuesday.

Punia, who defied age to qualify for the fourth Olympics of her life, holds her best throw at 63.72 m, achieved at the National Senior Inter-state athletic championships 2021.

The 37-year-old broke the meet record in the women’s discus throw on the fifth and final day of the 60th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships at Patiala.

Seema Punia Antil competed in the 2004 Athens Games, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio Games and will join Kaur who booked her Olympic berth earlier for Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Punia initially started with 59.31m and increased it to 60.35 and 63.18 in her second and third attempts. On her fourth attempt, She achieved the qualification mark which was 63.50m and was measured at 63.70m.

Sonal Goyal, hailing from Delhi and Madhu Renu, hailing from Rajasthan, finished second and third after they failed to cross the 50m mark, according to a report.

Seema Punia Olympics: Who Is She?

Hailing from the Khewda village of Sonipat district in Haryana, Punia started her sporting career at the age of 11 as a hurdler and long jumper. She later took to discus throwing. She possesses a gold medal to her name, following the win at the World Junior Championships in the year 2000 in Santiago. After the same, she earned the nickname of a Millennium Child.

However, she lost the medal as she tested positive for pseudoephedrine. National Federation issued her a public warning after stripping her of the medal. At the next World Junior Championship, held in the year 2002, She won a bronze medal.