Gulveer Singh Creates History with Two Medals in Commonwealth Games 2026

Glasgow, Aug 2026 : India’s premier distance runner Gulveer Singh created history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Saturday by winning the bronze medal in the men’s 5000m, becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Gulveer clocked 13:24.95 in the 5000m final to secure the bronze after earlier winning silver in the men’s 10,000m with a time of 27:49.78. His two-medal haul marks a landmark achievement for Indian athletics at Glasgow.

Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang won the 5000m gold in 13:23.61, while Australia’s Ky Robinson took silver in 13:24.70. Gulveer, however, produced a superb finishing burst to claim third place after entering the final lap in fifth.

The 28-year-old Indian Army athlete ran a tactical race and conserved his energy before unleashing a powerful kick in the closing stages. He began cautiously, sitting eighth after the opening 400m in 1:10.6. He increased his pace in the second lap, completing it in 1:06.4 and moving into fourth at the 1,000m mark.

Gulveer later slipped to seventh around the 2,400m mark but gradually worked his way back into contention. He was fifth heading into the final lap before producing a blistering sprint that carried him past the field and onto the podium in 13 minutes and 24.95 seconds.

The bronze added to an extraordinary run of success for Gulveer, who had already established himself as one of India’s leading long-distance runners. He won a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the 2022 Asian Games and also claimed a bronze in the 5000m at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships.

His biggest breakthrough came in 2025, when he won double gold in the 5000m and 10,000m at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. Those performances firmly established him as one of Asia’s leading distance runners.

Gulveer’s rise has been particularly remarkable given his humble beginnings. His running journey began on village roads and farmland trails in his native village in Uttar Pradesh while preparing for recruitment into the Indian Army. After joining The Grenadiers Regiment in 2018, he steadily developed into one of the country’s most accomplished distance runners.

A prolific record-holder, Gulveer currently holds Indian national records in the 5000m, 10,000m, one mile and half marathon. In 2025, he became the first Indian to run a mile in under four minutes, clocking 3:55.63, and also became the first Indian to complete a half marathon in under 60 minutes with a time of 59:42.

He also made history in the indoor 5000m by clocking 12:59.77, becoming the first Asian athlete to break the 13-minute barrier and setting a new Asian record.

Regular training at the high-performance centre in Colorado Springs has further strengthened Gulveer’s international credentials. His historic double at Glasgow not only adds two major medals to India’s tally but also represents a breakthrough moment for Indian distance running, establishing him as one of the country’s brightest prospects on the global athletics stage.

Commonwealth Games 2026 – Day 10 Medal Tally