Asian Games discus throw gold medal winner Seema Punia on Sunday qualified for the Rio Olympics with a 62.62 m effort at the Pat Young’s Throwers Classic 2016 at Salinas (California) in the United States.
The 32-year-old crossed the Rio Games qualification standard of 61.00m at the Hartnell College Throwers Complex with her season’s best effort of 62.62m.
She won the gold in the event and in the process beat 2008 Olympic discus throw champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton of United States of America.
She is the 19th Indian track and field athlete to have qualified for Rio Olympics.
Seema, now training in the United States with funds provided by the Sports Ministry under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, had won a gold in the 2014 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China with a throw of 61.03m. She had also won silver in the 2014 Glasgow CWG Commonwealth Games with an effort of 61.61m.
