Gulveer Singh scripted a landmark moment for Indian athletics on Saturday, winning the bronze medal in the men’s 5000m at the Commonwealth Games 2026 and becoming the first Indian to medal in the event at the Games. The result also made him the first Indian track and field athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Commonwealth Games, after his earlier silver in the 10,000m on July 28.
On the concluding day of the athletics competition, the reigning Asian champion finished third in 13:24.95, completing a historic double for India on the track. Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang won gold in 13:23.61, while Australia’s Ky Robinson took silver in 13:24.70. Robinson had earlier won the 10,000m gold at the Games.
How the 5000m bronze was won
Gulveer stayed in contention through the race, keeping himself among the leading pack before producing a decisive push late on. The finish was tight, and Gulveer sealed bronze by the narrowest of margins, edging Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi by just 0.04 seconds.
The close result underlined the competitiveness of the field. Kemboi is described as a sub-13 runner, having clocked 12:56.02 in June, but on Saturday Gulveer managed to hold him off at the line to secure India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the 5000m.
While the medal carried major historical significance, Gulveer’s time was below his peak form this season. His 13:24.95 finish was well outside his season best of 13:03.93, and also slower than his national record effort of 12:59.77. Even so, the podium finish delivered a breakthrough achievement for India in an event where the country had not previously won a Commonwealth Games medal.
The bronze also added to Gulveer’s growing list of big-event results. The report noted that he had won a 10,000m bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, and at CWG 2026 he improved on that with a silver in the 10,000m before adding the 5000m bronze to complete his two-medal haul.
What Gulveer’s CWG 2026 double means for India
Gulveer’s 5000m bronze stands out for two reasons: it is India’s first medal in the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games, and it confirms him as the first Indian track and field athlete to win two medals at a single edition of the Games. Achieving that double across the 10,000m and 5000m also highlights his ability to compete across both long-distance track events at a major multi-sport meet.
The CWG 2026 5000m podium was decided by fractions, with Gulveer’s 13:24.95 placing him behind Kipsang’s 13:23.61 and Robinson’s 13:24.70, and just ahead of Kemboi by 0.04 seconds. For India, that margin was enough to turn a close finish into a historic first in the event, and to cap Gulveer’s campaign with a second medal.
With the athletics competition concluding, Gulveer’s two-medal performance becomes one of the defining Indian track stories of the Games, combining a first-ever 5000m medal with a rare multi-medal feat in a single Commonwealth Games edition.
