Gulvir Singh continues to demonstrate outstanding results in Japan. The star long-distance runner from India won a bronze medal in the men's 5000 meters race on Tuesday, finishing with a time of 13:32.75. With this achievement, Gulvir completed a triumphant series of medals at the 2026 Asian Games.
He has won three medals in three different running disciplines, thus adding his name to the history of Indian athletics. Previously, Gulvir had already won silver medals in the 1500 meters and 10,000 meters races. Thus, since stepping onto the track in Japan, Gulvir has consistently brought the podium to India: silver in 1500m, silver in 10,000m, and now bronze in 5000m—three races, three medals.
Winning bronze in the 5000 meters is not just another award for Gulvir. He has become the second Indian man to win three medals in athletics at the same Asian Games. Before him, Ravi Pinto held this record. In the first Asian Games, held in New Delhi in 1951, Pinto won gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters, as well as silver in the 4x100 meter relay.
As for female athletes, Pit Thi Usha's impressive statistics from the 1986 Seoul Olympics remain unchanged: she won five medals, including four gold and one silver. Additionally, Kim M. Binamol won three medals at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan.
Gulvir's name is not limited to the Asian Games. This leading long-distance runner from India and holder of the current national record in the 5000 meters also achieved a historic success at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. By winning a bronze medal in the men's 5000 meters race, he became the first Indian to receive a medal in this discipline at the Commonwealth Games.
In addition, last year Gulvir also won a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships, held in Gumi, South Korea, in the 5000 meters. Thus, Gulvir's journey goes beyond simply setting records; the series of three medals at the Asian Games has cemented his name in the history of Indian long-distance running.
