Glasgow: Seema Kaliramna secures discus bronze at Commonwealth Games 2026
Kaliramna’s Commonwealth Games performance
Seema Kaliramna, an Indian discus thrower, earned a bronze medal in the women’s discus throw event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. Her best throw measured 58.65m, securing her third place. During the competition, Seema recorded only two valid throws out of six attempts. She began with a foul, then achieved 57.32m, followed by her medal-winning throw of 58.65m, before concluding with three more foul throws.
Jamaica’s Samantha Hall claimed the gold medal with a throw of 61.66m, which was the longest throw of the competition. Julia Tunks from Canada secured the silver medal with a throw of 60.67m. Another Indian athlete, Nidhi Rani, finished fourth with a best throw of 55.67m, narrowly missing a medal.
Balancing athletics, motherhood, and academics
Seema Kaliramna is a prominent discus thrower from Haryana, India. Beyond her athletic career, she is also pursuing a PhD in Physical Education at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University (CBLU) in Bhiwani. Her introduction to sports came at a young age through her father, who was a former basketball player and javelin thrower in the Indian Army.
Currently, Seema is coached by her husband, Ravinder Kaliramna, also known as Monu Kaliramna, who is a former national-level discus thrower. She took a break from athletics after the birth of her son, Rudra, but made a comeback just 11 months later. Her return involved balancing her training, motherhood, and PhD studies.
Her recent achievements include winning a gold medal at the 2025 National Games and subsequently claiming the national title. At the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, she achieved a personal best throw of 59.73m, which qualified her for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Seema has also represented India in other international events, including the Youth Asian Championships, and won gold at the first Khelo India University Games in 2020.
Seema attributed her success at the Commonwealth Games to her husband and coach, Ravinder. She expressed her happiness about winning a bronze medal in her first Commonwealth Games, noting that the primary challenge during the competition was the cold weather, which required her to warm up repeatedly. She described the moment as emotional, acknowledging the sacrifices made, particularly regarding her son. She also credited the support from AFI, SAI, and her family, dedicating her medal to her husband for his consistent support and the hard work behind her achievement.
India’s performance at the Games
The bronze medal by Seema Kaliramna was part of a broader successful day for India at the Commonwealth Games. Lovepreet Singh secured a silver medal in the men’s weightlifting +110kg category, contributing to India’s total of eight weightlifting medals, which included one gold, six silvers, and one bronze. Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav, and Yashvir Singh all advanced to the final of the men’s javelin throw event.
In other events, India’s Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar achieved their third consecutive victory in lawn bowls, overcoming Botswana in a tie-break. National record holders Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu qualified for the triple jump final. Tejaswin Shankar was also in contention for a medal in the men’s decathlon, finishing the opening day in second place.
However, there were some disappointments in athletics, with Parul Chaudhary, Animesh Kujur, and Vishal TK not performing as expected. The cycling contingent also faced challenges. India’s wait for a medal in the men’s shot put continued, as Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in the final.
Despite some setbacks, the Indian contingent saw several athletes advance in their respective competitions, with Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav, and Yashvir Singh all securing their spots in the men’s javelin throw final after navigating a challenging qualification round in windy conditions.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Menon 