Tokyo Olympics 2020: Seema Punia qualifies for her fourth Olympics in women's discus throw

The 2014 Asian Games gold medalist and former Indian national record holder Seema Punia has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in women's discus event.

Seema Punia achieved this feat by throwing the 1kg disc to a distance of 63.72 meters in her fourth attempt at the Interstate Athletics Championships on the last day of the Olympic qualification timeline. The Olympic qualification mark for the women's discus event at Tokyo Olympics 2020 is 63.50 meters.

Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be the fourth Olympics for Seema Punia

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be Seema's fourth Olympics. She had previously participated in the 2004, 2012 and 2016 editions of the mega-event. Her best result at the Olympics was a 12th place finish at the 2012 London Olympics.

Many congratulations to Seema Punia who booked her #TicketToTokyo with a throw of 63.72m in the women’s discus throw at the National Inter-State #Athletics Championship. The qualifying mark was 63.5m.#Cheer4India pic.twitter.com/BpyQIlvLpC

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) June 29, 2021

Seema came very close to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 when she finished 2nd at the 2021 Federation Cup. She had thrown the discus to a distance of 62.64 meters in the women's discus event on that day.

On the same day, another Indian discus thrower, Kamalpreet Kaur, qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by becoming the 1st Indian women discus thrower to throw over 65 meters. Since then, Kamalpreet has bettered her own national record mark at the Indian Grand Prix 4 with a throw of 66.59 meters on June 21st, 2021.

Athletics, Interstates: And Seema Punia has done it.. She makes it to her 4th Olympics by hurling the Discus to a distance of 63.72 meters.. What a champion.. #Tokyo2020 @afiindia @kaypeem @BhutaniRahul @vineetmanotra

— Vishank Razdan (@VishankRazdan) June 29, 2021

The Indian women's discus throwers have qualified for each and every Olympics held this century. This shows that the quality of Indian women's discus throwers have stood the test of time.

The Tokyo Olympics will quite possibly be Seema Punia's last Olympics, as she is 37 years old. Along with Kamalpreet Kaur, Seema Punia will look to make India proud at the Olympics.

A relaxed Seema Punia with her childhood friend Harwant Kaur, also a former discus thrower. Seema earned her #Tokyo2020 ticket today on the last day of Inter State meet in #Patiala63.70m (OQ mark 63.50) pic.twitter.com/XF529lfF4v

— Divesh Bhal (@diveshbhal) June 29, 2021