GULVEER Singh scripted history as he became the first Indian to win a 5000m medal in the Commonwealth Games with a bronze as well as the first track and field athlete from the country to win two medals in a single edition of the Games. Reigning Asian champion Gulveer, who had won a silver in the 10,000m on July 28, finished third in the 5000m with a time of 13 minute 24.95 seconds to complete a historic double on the concluding day of the athletics competition.

 

Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang of Kenya took the gold with a time of 13:23.61, while Australia’s Ky Robinson, who had earlier won the gold in the 10,000m, clinched the silver, clocking 13:24.70. However, the 28-year-old Indian, who holds national records in both 5000m and 10,000m, ran much below his season best timing of 13:03.93. His Saturday’s time was also well outside his national record effort of 12:59.77. Gulveer, who also won a 10,000m bronze in the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, kept himself among the leading pack throughout the race before surging ahead in the final lap. He beat Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi for the bronze by a mere 0.04 seconds. Kemboi is a sub-13 runner, having clocked 12:56.02 in June, but on Saturday, Gulveer beat him, though by a whisker.