India, Sept. 24 -- The spark the Indian athletes needed to push themselves at the Asian Games came from Seema Kumari, the long-distance runner from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, who pulled off a stunning bronze medal in a world class 10000m field to open India's track and field campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.

The diminutive Seema was almost dwarfed by four tall and sturdy runners of Kenyan origin who were competing for their adopted Asian nations, in the leading pack, but strong legs and a big heart kept driving her and as she finished behind Yavi Winfred of Bahrain and Tanaka Nozomi of Japan.

She dropped down totally exhausted, and was helped back on her feet by Nozomi as the two embraced.

Yavi, the reigning 3000m steeplechase Olympic champion,...