Gulveer Singh bags silver, becomes first Indian to win two 10,000m medals

Gulveer Singh won silver in the men's 10,000m at the Asian Games in Nagoya, becoming the first Indian to win two medals in the event. He clocked 28:29.38, finishing behind Bahrain's Birhanu Balew

Nagoya: Gulveer Singh scripted a slice of Indian athletics history by becoming the first Indian to win two Asian Games medals in the men’s 10,000m after clinching silver at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium here on Friday.

Gulveer clocked 28:29.38 to finish second in the gruelling 25-lap race, adding silver to the bronze he won in the same event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. He became the first Indian to stand on the Asian Games podium twice in the men’s 10,000m.

---

Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew won the gold in 28:27.51, finishing 1.87 seconds ahead of Gulveer, while his compatriot Albert Kiptoo took bronze in 28:34.38. China’s Wang Wenjie finished fourth in 28:38.14.

Gulveer stayed close to the leaders through the middle stages of the race and remained firmly in medal contention with 2,000m remaining. He held his position through the gruelling closing laps before producing enough pace to split Bahrain’s two runners and secure the silver.

His latest medal also marks a significant improvement from Hangzhou, where he won bronze behind compatriot Kartik Kumar, who took silver. Their double podium in 2023 ended a long wait for India in the men’s 10,000m at the Asian Games.

The Nagoya silver adds to a breakthrough 2026 season for Gulveer. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he won silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m, becoming the first Indian man to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the 10,000m.

Gulveer, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, has established himself as one of India’s leading long-distance runners. He won bronze in the 5,000m at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships before completing a golden double in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.

The 28-year-old is also a prolific record-breaker. He holds Indian national records in the 5,000m and 10,000m, having clocked 12:59.77 in the 5,000m short track and 27:00.22 in the 10,000m. His 12:59.77 made him the first Asian athlete to break the 13-minute barrier indoors.

In 2026, he also became the first Indian to run a half marathon under 60 minutes, recording 59:42. He trains at high altitude in Colorado Springs under coach Scott Simmons.