Mother, scholar, medallist: Seema Kaliramna's inspiring comeback ends with CWG bronze

Seema Kaliramna had no throws left. Three successive fouls had ended her evening, leaving the Indian discus thrower helpless as she watched her rivals take one final shot at denying her a place on the podium.

Cameroon’s Monie Nora Atim was the last athlete capable of pushing Seema out of the medals. The equation was simple: throw farther than 58.65m and the bronze would be hers. But the Cameroonian could not produce the distance, allowing Seema to finally celebrate a Commonwealth Games bronze that was years in the making.

The medal may have been decided by a third-round throw, but its story stretched far beyond one evening in Glasgow. It was the reward for an extraordinary journey that saw Seema return from motherhood, pursue a PhD and rebuild herself into one of India’s finest discus throwers once again.

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THE ROAD BACK

According to The Bridge, Seema’s comeback has been one of Indian athletics’ most inspiring stories.

The 27-year-old from Haryana is not only an elite athlete but is also pursuing a PhD in Physical Education at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University in Bhiwani. Alongside balancing academics and elite sport, she embraced another life-changing role when she became a mother.

The Bridge reported that Seema returned to competitive training just 11 months after giving birth to her son, Rudra. Her coach is now her husband, Ravinder, popularly known as Monu Kaliramna, a former national-level discus thrower who has guided her through the toughest phase of her career.

The return was anything but straightforward. Seema reportedly struggled to rediscover her rhythm after pregnancy as she worked to regain her strength and technique. Every competition became another step in the comeback, eventually culminating in a gold medal at the 2025 National Games that signalled she was ready to compete with the country’s best once again.

In Glasgow, she proved she belonged on the international stage too.

ONE THROW THAT MATTERED

Seema’s medal-winning effort did not come after a perfect series.

She opened with a foul after sending her discus into the net, while compatriot Nidhi Rani briefly occupied the bronze-medal position with a strong second-round effort.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

Seema launched the discus to 57.32m in the second round before finding another level with a superb 58.65m effort on her third attempt. That throw ultimately proved enough to keep her on the podium for the rest of the evening.

The closing rounds tested every nerve. Seema fouled her fourth, fifth and sixth attempts, unable to improve her mark as Jamaica’s Samantha Hall extended her lead and Canada’s Julia Tunks strengthened her grip on silver.

All that remained was to wait.

When Atim failed to produce the distance required on her final attempt, Seema’s bronze was confirmed. After months of hard work and years of perseverance, she finally had her Commonwealth Games medal.

A DREAM REALISED

India had two athletes challenging for the podium in the women’s discus throw final.

Nidhi Rani opened strongly with 53.19m before improving to 55.67m and then 57.10m, remaining in medal contention deep into the competition. She eventually finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.

Hall claimed gold with a Games-leading throw of 61.66m, while Tunks secured silver with 60.67m.

For Seema, though, the bronze represented far more than a place on the podium. It was the culmination of a remarkable comeback that balanced motherhood, academic pursuits and elite sport. Every rehabilitation session, every training day and every setback after her return had led to this moment.

The final three fouls did not define her evening. Neither did the anxious wait that followed. Instead, it was one magnificent throw of 58.65m that carried Seema Kaliramna back onto an international podium, completing a comeback story that will inspire far beyond the Commonwealth Games.

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