Indian runner Gulveer Singh secures landmark double CWG medal

Indian long-distance runner Gulveer Singh made history on Saturday by claiming bronze in the men 5000m event at the Commonwealth Games. He crossed the finish line in exactly 13 minutes and 24.95 seconds. This remarkable achievement makes him the first track and field athlete from India to ever win two medals during a single edition of the Games. Earlier in the week, he secured a silver medal in the grueling 10,000m race.

Gulveer ran a smart race by staying right behind the lead pack. He waited patiently before making a hard push during the final lap. He managed to secure third place by beating Kenyan runner Cornelius Kemboi by a tiny margin of 0.04 seconds. Defeating Kemboi is a major accomplishment, as the Kenyan recently clocked a very fast time of 12:56.02 this past June.

Fierce Competition On The Track

Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang from Kenya took home the gold medal with a winning time of 13:23.61. Australian runner Ky Robinson finished closely behind in 13:24.70 to earn silver. Robinson was also the gold medalist in the 10,000m event. Historically, Indian athletes have found it difficult to reach the podium in global long-distance track competitions. This breakthrough performance signals a major shift for Indian athletes on the world stage. Even though he secured the bronze, Gulveer did not run his fastest race. He currently holds the Indian national records for both the 5000m and 10,000m events. His finishing time was slower than his season best of 13:03.93 and his national record mark of 12:59.77. Despite a slower pace, the reigning Asian champion showed excellent racing tactics. He successfully added this shiny CWG hardware to his previous bronze medal from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.