Gulveer Singh scripts history; becomes first Indian to claim medals in both 5000m and 10000m at same Commonwealth Games

Indian long-distance runner Gulveer Singh has etched his name in the record books at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. The 28-year-old became the first Indian athlete to win medals in both the 5000m and 10000m events in the same edition of the Games. He claimed silver in the 10000m and followed it up with bronze in the 5000m, delivering one of the standout performances for Team India in athletics.

Silver in challenging conditions

On a rainy and windy night at Scotstoun Stadium, Gulveer produced a composed and tactical run to secure silver in the men’s 10000m. He clocked 27:49.78, finishing just behind Australia’s Ky Robinson, who took gold in 27:48.93. David Mullarkey of the Isle of Man claimed bronze.

Gulveer stayed patient through the middle stages of the race before unleashing a strong finishing kick in the final stretch. The conditions were tough with heavy rain, yet he adapted well. “If it was hot, my throat would have dried up; my body would have become tight. I adjusted to this weather very well,” he said after the race. “I just wanted to bring a medal for the country.”

This was India’s first-ever medal in the men’s 10000m at the Commonwealth Games and ended a long period of African dominance on the podium in the event.

Bronze seals the historic double

On Saturday, Gulveer returned to the track for the 5000m final and added bronze with a time of 13:24.95. He held off Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi by a narrow margin in a thrilling finish, completing his double. The bronze made him the first Indian man to medal in the men’s 5000m at the Commonwealth Games as well.

Simply incredible stuff from the 28-year-old. He is now a double Commonwealth Games medallist and the first Indian to achieve this feat in the two longest track events at the same edition.

Who is Gulveer Singh?

Gulveer Singh hails from Sirsa village in Uttar Pradesh’s Atrauli district. He grew up in a farming family and ran a lot as a youngster on the dirt roads around Sirsa. At that time, the only goal was to clear the physical test needed to join the Indian Army as a jawan.

He succeeded and joined the Army. Once there, he began taking inter-unit races seriously. The reasons were practical, much like those that once motivated the great Milkha Singh: better food, less arduous shifts, and the chance of promotion along with better pay.

He entered his first inter-unit race while on guard duty in Arunachal Pradesh. Within three years of that start, he became the national champion in the 10000m at the 2023 National Games. Three years on from that breakthrough, he stands as a double Commonwealth Games medallist.

Gulveer holds multiple national records and has already tasted success at the Asian level, including gold medals in both the 5000m and 10000m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships.