Backed by family, guided by Seema Punia, Priya Sheoran eyes U23 Asian Athletics Championships medal

Kolkata: Seema Punia was, for long, the face of women’s discus throw in India. But in recent years, several others have begun making their mark in the event, and one athlete who has been impressive this season is Priya Sheoran.The only child of Anup, a sub-inspector with the Haryana Police, Priya began her athletics journey after her father encouraged her to take up a sport when she opted for the arts stream after Class 10. She joined SAI centre in Hisar, where a coach suggested she take up the discus throw. There has been no looking back since, and she will now represent India at U23 Asian Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, from July 9 to 12.

But Punia, who has been coaching her for the past four and a half years, believes none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of her family.“The biggest factor is the support she gets from her family. She is an only child, and in a state like Haryana, where girls often don’t get enough attention, she is the centre of her family’s focus. That kind of backing, both emotional and financial, is crucial for an athlete’s growth,” Punia said.

“She also has an excellent physique. She stands around 6ft 2in and still has scope to grow further, which gives her tremendous physical potential.”Punia’s guidance, too, has played a huge role in Sheoran’s rise.“It was because of her that I was able to cross the 55m mark after struggling through 2024 and 2025. I wouldn’t say those years were bad, but achieving it finally became possible because of her efforts and guidance,” said the 22-year-old.Asked what it feels like to train under one of India’s most accomplished discus throwers, the athlete from Bhiwani, Haryana, said: “She tells me what to do and what not to do. She works on my technique and overall form, and with nearly 30 years of experience as an athlete, she knows exactly what it takes to succeed.“Sometimes I am in awe of her because she’s such a big name in India, but at the same time, I feel fortunate that she is guiding and training me.

It’s a privilege for me,” added Sheoran.Interestingly, until Class 10, Sheoran, who is also pursuing graduation in physical education at Chandigarh University, had never considered taking up sport.“I didn’t even like running. I didn’t like going to the ground,” she recalled.That decision, however, transformed her life. Last year, she represented India at the World University Games in Bochum and won a bronze medal at the 2025 Federation Cup, besides securing several other podium finishes.

Then, in March 2026, she achieved her personal best of 56. 16m at the Indian Open Throws Competition in Patiala.Although she couldn’t maintain that form consistently, her performance at the Federation Cup in Ranchi was enough to earn her a place in the Indian team for U23 Asian Athletics Championships, where she will be hoping to win her first international medal.