Indian discus throw veteran Seema Punia has made her ambitions of playing at the 2024 Paris Olympics known, after claiming a bronze at the 2023 Asian Games. The veteran clarified that she wasn’t looking back on her recent victory, and instead wants to stay focused on the future with the Paris Olympics to be held next year.
At the age of 40, she is still among the top discus throwers in the world and her impressive medal tally speaks for itself. She has won the gold medal at the National Championships in 2009, 2010, 2021 and 2023 while coming second consistently in the Commonwealth Games every edition from 2006 to 2018, except for 2010 when she won the bronze medal.
Seema Punia wants grand sendoff at 2024 Paris Olympics
Punia has won a gold medal at the Asian Games, which came almost a decade ago in 2014. Since then, she has won a bronze in both subsequent editions. To add to her medal cabinet, her career has spanned 23 years when she started competing at the age of 17.
And at the time of writing, she is ranked the third-best thrower in Asia, which is extraordinary considering her age.
“I wish to give my last shot at the Paris Olympics and only then will I think about my future plans in sports. I am sure of making the cut through my world ranking. It would be my fifth appearance in the Olympics,” Seema Punia recently said, laying down her plans for the coming year.
Punia is also a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2022, for her extraordinary achievements in sport. She is also a police officer in the state of Haryana, and aims to expand her role to Uttar Pradesh pending court clearances.
