Shekhawat hails Gulveer Singh's historic CWG 2026 bronze in 5000m
Synopsis
Gulveer Singh became the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games 5000m medal, claiming bronze at Glasgow 2026. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat hailed the achievement as a historic milestone for Indian athletics and Singh's second medal of the tournament.
Key Takeaways
Gulveer Singh won bronze in the men's 5000 metres at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow .
He is the first Indian athlete ever to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the 5000m event.
The bronze is Singh's second medal of the 2026 edition .
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat praised Singh's courage and finishing kick in the final lap.
The achievement is seen as a milestone for Indian athletics, built on years of investment through schemes like TOPS (2014) .
Gulveer Singh has done what no Indian runner had done before — stepped onto the Commonwealth Games podium in the 5000 metres. On Sunday, 2 August 2026, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took to X to celebrate the long-distance runner's bronze medal at Glasgow 2026, calling it a historic milestone for Indian athletics.
Posting in Hindi, Shekhawat wrote: 'अंतिम लैप में उनके साहस, धैर्य और शानदार फिनिश ने इस जीत को यादगार बना दिया' — 'His courage, patience, and stunning finish in the final lap made this victory unforgettable.' The minister extended his heartfelt congratulations and wished Singh a bright future ahead.
First Indian on the CWG 5000m podium
The significance is hard to overstate. Distance running has historically been a blind spot for India at the Commonwealth Games, with medals clustering in sprints, field events, and combat sports. Gulveer Singh has now redrawn that map — becoming the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in the Commonwealth Games 5000 metres. The bronze is also his second medal of the 2026 edition, underscoring a campaign of rare consistency for an Indian track athlete at a global multi-sport event.A final lap that will be replayed
Shekhawat's post zeroed in on the tactical drama of the race's closing moments. Long-distance finals are won and lost in the last 400 metres, and Singh's ability to hold nerve and unleash a finishing kick — against a field drawn from across the Commonwealth — is precisely the quality that separates a contender from a champion. That composure in the final lap is what the minister singled out, and rightly so.Government's decade-long push in endurance athletics
This result does not arrive in a vacuum. Since the launch of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in 2014, India's sports establishment has invested in building depth in events — including endurance track disciplines — that were once considered beyond the country's competitive reach. Singh's podium finish is a data point in that longer story: patient investment, over years, producing firsts on the global stage. Union ministers routinely acknowledge medal wins at multi-sport events, but Shekhawat's post carries a specific weight — he framed this not merely as a personal triumph but as 'an important milestone for Indian athletics,' signalling that the establishment sees it as a benchmark, not a one-off. India's final medal tally at Glasgow 2026 and any follow-up support measures for Singh will be the next chapter. For now, one runner from India has changed a record book — and that is the story that endures.Point of View
Not just in sprints and field events. For the BJP-led government, a Union minister's swift, effusive acknowledgement of the win is also deliberate optics: sport as soft power and as proof that schemes like TOPS are delivering returns. The 'first Indian' framing Shekhawat deployed elevates this beyond routine congratulation into a national-record narrative, which carries political as well as sporting currency. Watch whether the Sports Ministry follows up with a formal honour or financial support — that will signal how seriously the establishment intends to build on this breakthrough.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gulveer Singh and what did he win at CWG 2026?
Gulveer Singh is an Indian long-distance runner who won the bronze medal in the men's 5000 metres at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, becoming the first Indian to win a CWG medal in that event.
Is this Gulveer Singh's first medal at Commonwealth Games 2026?
No, the 5000m bronze is Gulveer Singh's second medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, indicating a strong overall campaign at the Glasgow edition.
What did Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat say about Gulveer Singh?
Shekhawat posted on X praising Singh's courage, patience, and stunning final-lap finish, calling the achievement an important milestone for Indian athletics and extending his heartfelt congratulations.
What is the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and how does it relate to this win?
TOPS is a government scheme launched in 2014 to support elite Indian athletes preparing for major international events. India's improving depth in endurance events is partly attributed to sustained investment through such programmes.
Has any Indian won a 5000m medal at the Commonwealth Games before Gulveer Singh?
No. Gulveer Singh's bronze at Glasgow 2026 makes him the first Indian athlete in history to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the 5000 metres event.
