Days after dazzling the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow with a silver medal in the 10,000m, Indian distance runner Gulveer Singh produced another stellar performance in the men’s 5,000m, claiming bronze to become the first Indian to win a medal in the event.
With medals in both the 10,000m and 5,000m, Gulveer also became the first Indian to finish on the podium in two track events at a single Commonwealth Games.
Gulveer clocked 13:24.95 to finish third, edging Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi in a photo finish. “I am happy with the bronze medal. But I want to win more medals. My hunger is still not quenched,” Gulveer said in the mixed zone.
The achievement was all the more remarkable because of the quality of the field. Just as in the 10,000m, Gulveer found himself up against some of the world’s best distance runners, including 2024 World U20 champion Andrew Alamisi of Kenya, Tokyo Olympic medallist Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and 10,000m champion Ky Robinson of Australia.
Yet, much like his silver-medal run earlier in the week, Gulveer stuck to a simple but effective race plan – hugging the inside rail with the lead pack, conserving energy before unleashing a powerful finishing kick over the closing stages. “We followed the same strategy as the 10k – run the shortest possible distance by staying inside, stay in touch with the front pack and position well for the last 400 metres to finish strongly,” his coach Scott Simmons told The Indian Express from Glasgow.
Far from being a flash in the pan, the performance underlined Gulveer’s steady rise over the past three years. The Army runner from Sirsa, who trains out of Aligarh, has established himself as India’s premier long-distance track athlete.
What has changed over the past two years is not just his results, but his transformation from a promising runner into a genuine contender on the world stage.
While Gulveer has dominated Asian competitions, his two medals in Glasgow – won against traditionally dominant African runners – have strengthened his credentials as an athlete capable of challenging the world’s best