Historic Double for Gulveer Singh: Indian Runner Wins 5000m Bronze After 10,000m Silver at CWG 2026

Glasgow: India's star long-distance runner Gulveer Singh scripted history at the 2026 Commonwealth Games by clinching the bronze medal in the men's 5,000m event, adding to the silver he had already won in the 10,000m. With the feat, he became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two medals at a single edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Gulveer crossed the finish line in 13:24.95 to secure third place in the 5,000m final. Earlier in the Games, he had bagged silver in the men's 10,000m with a timing of 27:49.78, marking another milestone for Indian athletics.

In the 5,000m race, Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang of Kenya claimed the gold medal with a time of 13:23.61, while Australia's Ky Robinson finished second in 13:24.70.

The Indian runner executed a well-planned race, conserving energy for most of the event before producing a powerful sprint in the final lap. Starting the last lap in a joint fifth position, Gulveer surged ahead in the closing metres to secure the bronze.

The 28-year-old, who hails from Atrauli in Uttar Pradesh, stayed in eighth place after the opening lap before moving into fourth by the 1,000m mark. Although he slipped back to seventh midway through the race, he remained within striking distance. Entering the final lap in fifth place, he unleashed a strong finishing burst to complete the race in 13:24.95.

A soldier with The Grenadiers Regiment of the Indian Army since 2018, Gulveer began his running career on village roads and farmland while preparing for Army recruitment. His rise has been remarkable, transforming him into India's leading distance runner.

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His international success began with a bronze medal in the 5,000m at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, followed by another bronze in the 10,000m at the 2022 Asian Games. In 2025, he dominated the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, winning gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events.

Gulveer also holds multiple Indian national records in the 5,000m, 10,000m, one mile and half marathon. He became the first Indian to run a mile in under four minutes, clocking 3:55.63, and the first Indian to complete a half marathon in under an hour with a timing of 59:42.

He further etched his name in history by recording 12:59.77 in the indoor 5,000m, becoming the first Asian athlete to break the 13-minute barrier while setting a new continental record.

Training at a high-performance centre in Colorado Springs, Gulveer has emerged as one of India's finest distance runners, with his achievements placing the country firmly on the global athletics map and strengthening its medal hopes at major international competitions.

With inputs from IANS