Gulveer Singh Becomes First Indian to Run a Sub-Four-Minute Mile, Sets Historic Mark in USA

New Delhi, May 2026 : Indian distance running achieved a historic milestone on Saturday as Asian Games bronze medallist Gulveer Singh became the first Indian athlete to clock a sub-four-minute mile, producing a remarkable performance at the 24th Annual Music City Track Carnival in the United States.

Competing at the World Athletics Continental Tour event held at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, the 27-year-old runner completed the Men’s 1 Mile Pro race in an impressive 3 minutes 55.63 seconds, creating a new landmark in Indian athletics. His achievement places him among an elite group of middle and long-distance runners worldwide who have broken the iconic four-minute barrier in the mile race.

Gulveer dominated the event, finishing ahead of a competitive field. American athlete Christopher Knight secured second place with a timing of 3:59.72, while fellow American Tristan Trevino finished third in 4:00.27.

The historic run further strengthens Gulveer’s growing reputation as one of India’s finest distance runners. Based in the United States for training and competition, he has been steadily rewriting Indian athletics records and is currently preparing for major international events, including the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan.

An Army athlete, Gulveer has consistently pushed the boundaries of Indian distance running. He previously became the first Indian runner to break the 13-minute barrier in the 5,000 metres, setting a national indoor record of 12:59.77 in the United States last year. He also holds the national record in the men’s 10,000 metres with a timing of 27:00.22, underlining his versatility and endurance across long-distance events.

His latest achievement adds to an extraordinary week for Indian athletics, which has witnessed several record-breaking performances by emerging and established stars across disciplines.

At the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, young high jumper Pooja created history by winning the gold medal with a leap of 1.93 metres. In the process, she broke the long-standing Indian national record of 1.92 metres set by Sahana Kumari in 2012. Her jump also surpassed the previous Asian U20 Championships record of 1.90 metres, set by Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Radzivil in 2006.

Indian sprinting has also witnessed significant breakthroughs. At the Federation Cup in Ranchi, Gurindervir Singh became the first Indian sprinter to run the 100 metres in under 10.10 seconds, clocking 10.09 seconds and securing qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

In another notable feat, Vishal T.K. became the first Indian athlete to breach the 45-second barrier in the men’s 400 metres, recording 44.98 seconds. Meanwhile, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar crossed the 8,000-point mark for the first time in India, further highlighting the depth of talent emerging in Indian track and field.

Gulveer Singh’s historic sub-four-minute mile stands out as one of the most significant achievements in Indian athletics, signalling the country’s growing presence in elite middle and long-distance running on the global stage.