Gulveer Singh secures historic silver in men’s 10,000m at Commonwealth Games
Gulveer Singh, an Indian long-distance runner, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Indian to secure a medal in the men’s 10,000m event at the Commonwealth Games. He claimed a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Singh, who also holds the national record, completed the race in 27:49.78. He finished behind Ky Robinson of Australia, who earned the gold medal. The bronze medal went to David Mullarkey from the Isle of Man. Notably, traditional distance-running nations such as Kenya and Uganda did not feature on the podium in this event.
Race Strategy and Performance
The race took place under challenging, rain-soaked conditions. Singh adopted a tactical approach throughout the 25-lap contest, maintaining his position within the leading group for a significant portion of the race. This allowed him to conserve energy while closely monitoring the frontrunners.
With one lap remaining, Singh was positioned in third place. He then executed a burst of speed in the final stages of the race, propelling him into second place and securing the historic silver medal. This performance is considered one of India’s notable achievements in Commonwealth Games distance running.
Singh’s performance saw him move from fourth to second position in the final lap. Earlier in the race, he was recorded in third place after the first 2,000m, completing it in 5.49s. At the 5,000m mark, he was in sixth position, clocking 14:16.1s. He later moved to fifth after 7,000m and then to fourth after 9,000m before his final surge.
Historic Achievement for Indian Athletics
Singh’s silver medal marks the end of India’s long wait for success in the men’s 10,000m event at the Commonwealth Games. No Indian athlete had previously won a medal in this specific event, making his achievement a landmark moment for Indian athletics. He is also an Army Naib Subedar and had previously broken the national record in the marathon earlier in the year.
Other Indian athletes also secured medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. These include Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, women’s shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, men’s high jump), Harjinder Kaur (silver, weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze, women’s shot put F57), and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).
Other Indian Performances
On the same day, Harjinder Kaur also won a silver medal in the women’s 69kg weightlifting category. She achieved a personal-best total of 227kg, improving on her bronze medal from the Birmingham 2022 Games in the 71kg category. Kaur lifted 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean and jerk. Canada’s Charlotte Simoneau won gold in this event with a total of 240kg.
In boxing, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam won his men’s 55kg quarterfinal bout against Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale with a 4-1 decision, assuring himself of a medal. Two other Indian boxers, Preeti and Priya, also reached the semifinals, guaranteeing them medals. However, Kapil Pokhariya lost his men’s 90kg quarterfinal to Robert McNulty of Scotland by a unanimous decision of 0-5.
In swimming, Srihari Nataraj did not advance to the men’s 100m backstroke final, finishing 12th overall with a time of 55.52 seconds. The women’s high jump final, featuring India’s Pooja Singh, was temporarily suspended due to heavy rain. Singh, who had previously broken the Indian national record by jumping 1.93m at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in May, was unable to clear 1.82m in her attempts during the rainy conditions.
Gulveer Singh’s silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games marks a significant moment for Indian athletics.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
