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Indian discus thrower Seema Punia continues her excellent form as she grabbed silver in the Qosanov Memorial 2023 athletics meet on Saturday.
Seema Punia hasn't played a lot of tournaments this year. This is the 2014 Asia Games Champion's second tournament of the year and first International competition. Earlier, she grabbed gold in the nationals in Bhubaneswar in June, while completing a throw of 56.50m.
The 39-year-old began her 2023 international campaign at Almaty, Kazakhstan and ended with the best throw of 57.35m. She had to settle for the second position in the meet.
The Indian veteran began with a throw of 56.48m in her first attempt. She had foul throws on the second and third attempts. She had a good comeback on the fourth attempt, where she made a throw of distance 56.58m. In the final attempt, the 39-year-old gave it all to reach 57.35m to clinch the silver medal.
The Olympian from Thailand, Subenrat Insaeng, finished on the top ahead of Seema Punia with a 59.67m throw. Karina Vasilyeva of Kazakhstan took the bronze with a throw of distance of 47.70m.
Seema Punia achieves Asian Games qualification mark
Seema Punia, who was playing her first international event of the year, crossed the Asian Games cut-off in all three positive attempts today. India's qualification mark set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the upcoming Asia Games is 57m.
AFI had earlier announced that participation in the National Inter-State Championship held in Bhubaneswar in June was mandatory for the selection. The 63rd edition of the championships was held from June 15th to 19th. Seema participated in the championships and finished with a throw of 56.50m. She clinched the gold medal in the championships.
Seema Punia, who announced that the 2022 Commonwealth Games, would be her last CWG tournament, has a personal best of 64.84m, which she attained in 2004.
