Indian discus thrower Seema Kaliramna is heading into the Asian Games with a Commonwealth Games bronze medal, a personal best of 59.73 metres and a clear ambition to move closer to the Olympics.

The 27-year-old produced a 58.65m throw in Glasgow to win bronze at the Commonwealth Games. Her next major challenge comes at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, beginning September 19.

Kaliramna competed again on August 22 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where she finished fourth with 57.44m at a World Athletics Silver Level Continental Tour event.

The performance was below her 59.73m personal best, but the thrower was not concerned about reaching the 60m mark immediately.

“I just want to throw the discus as far as I can,” Kaliramna said in an interaction with TimesofIndia.com. She added that the distance could eventually reach 60, 65 or even 70 metres, while her immediate focus remained on giving her best.

Asian Games qualification already secured

Kaliramna's personal best came at the National Inter-State Championships in June, where she also cleared the Asian Games qualifying mark of 55.48m.

Her progression has been steady. After returning to competition, she recorded 57.19m in 2024 and won the National Games in 2025. This season, she moved beyond 59m before claiming Commonwealth Games bronze.

Her coach and husband, Ravinder ‘Monu’ Kaliramna, has taken a gradual approach to her training. The Commonwealth Games were viewed as part of the build-up towards the Asian Games.

Kaliramna believes that controlled progress is preferable to forcing results too quickly.

“It's better if we progress slowly,” she said.

A comeback shaped by injury and motherhood

Kaliramna's current form comes after a difficult period away from competitive athletics.

Following her marriage in 2019, she was preparing for the World University Games and was throwing around 54 to 55 metres in training. A knee injury and the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted her competition schedule.

She later became a mother, giving birth to her son Rudra in 2022.

The period surrounding pregnancy and childbirth brought further physical complications. Kaliramna has spoken about suffering severe arthritis, with problems affecting her shoulder and hip.

At one stage, she said she could barely walk and struggled even to lift her child.

Her husband encouraged her to return to athletics gradually, taking into account how her body responded during rehabilitation.

Kaliramna eventually returned to competition in 2024. Her best throw before motherhood had been 48.08m. Since then, she has made a substantial improvement, eventually reaching 59.73m this year.

Support helped rebuild her career

The comeback has also been supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport, which has provided assistance including physiotherapy, massage, travel and accommodation.

Kaliramna said the support has been particularly important because neither she nor her husband has a government or private-sector job.

She was also approached about a junior coaching position during a Haryana government programme in Panchkula on August 26. For now, however, her priority remains competitive athletics.

Her partnership with Ravinder extends beyond their coach-athlete relationship. Both are working towards the same Olympic ambition.

“When you have a goal, when you are living a dream… we are living the same dream,” Kaliramna said.

Her son Rudra will watch from home

Rudra will again remain at home while his mother competes at the Asian Games.

Kaliramna had spoken about the difficulty of leaving him behind before the Commonwealth Games. She returned from Glasgow with the medal he had hoped she would bring home.

She now hopes to repeat that success in Japan.

Her longer-term dream is for Rudra to one day travel to competitions with her and her husband. For now, he will watch from home as Kaliramna attempts to add an Asian Games medal to her Commonwealth Games bronze.

For the Indian discus thrower, the Asian Games represent another stage in a comeback that has already taken her from a 48.08m career best before motherhood to 59.73m and a Commonwealth podium.

Her next target is not a specific distance. It is another step towards the Olympics.