Glasgow, Scotland — India's distance-running star Gulveer Singh has completed a historic medal double at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, becoming the first Indian athlete to stand on the podium in both the men's 5000m and 10,000m at a single edition of the Games.
The 26-year-old Naib Subedar in the Indian Army first made history on Tuesday, July 28, when he won silver in the men's 10,000m final, clocking 27:49.78 at Scotstoun Stadium in a race run in relentless rain. He finished behind Australia's Ky Robinson, who took gold in 27:48.93, while David Mullarkey of the Isle of Man claimed bronze in 27:50.28. The result marked India's first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the men's 10,000m.
Racing over 25 laps, Gulveer sat with the lead pack from the gun, passed the 3000m mark in 8:39.2, briefly slipped to fifth around the halfway point, then fought his way back to third before making his move on the final lap to secure silver.
Just days later, Gulveer returned to the track for the men's 5000m and added a second medal — bronze — to complete an unprecedented double for Indian athletics. Australia's Matthew Kipsang took gold in 13:23.61, with compatriot Ky Robinson claiming silver in 13:24.70. Gulveer's bronze was also India's first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the men's 5000m event.
With the bronze, Gulveer became the first Indian athlete to win two individual track medals at a single Commonwealth Games — a landmark achievement in the country's athletics history.
The Making of a Champion
Born in Sirsa village in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh district, Gulveer's running career began on village roads and farmland trails as he trained for recruitment into the Indian Army, where he now serves as a Naib Subedar.
Gulveer arrived in Glasgow as the reigning Asian champion and India's national record holder in both events. His breakthrough season began in 2024, when he broke the men's 10,000m national record at The Ten track meet in California, clocking 27:41.81 to eclipse a mark that had stood since 2008. Later that year, he also took the 5000m national record from Avinash Sable.
He continued to lower his own marks through 2025, breaking the Asian indoor 5000m record in Boston, and has consistently featured on podiums on the international circuit, including a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Speaking after his 10,000m silver, Gulveer said he was staying focused on the process rather than dwelling on past results, noting that each race presented a fresh challenge regardless of prior accolades.
His double-medal performance in Glasgow caps what many in Indian athletics are calling a landmark campaign, further cementing his place among the country's greatest-ever distance runners and continuing India's rising profile in endurance events on the global stage.
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