CHENNAI: “GO the distance,” the popular adage goes. India’s long-distance runner Gulveer Singh, did not just go by the distance, but went on to script history. On a night affected by heavy rain, Gulveer clocked 27:49.78s to finish second in the men's 10,000m final at the Scotstoun Stadium. This is the first silver medal in this distance by an Indian. This also reflects well on India's potential in long distance running. Avinash Sable won silver in steeplechase at the Birmingham Games.
Ky Robinson, an up-and-coming runner from Australia, capped off a brilliant run by finishing first (27:48.93s). But for Gulveer, that was a culmination of years of hard work in the United States of America. Training under coach Scott Simmons in Colorado Springs, he broke national records across different long-distance events outside of India for the past few years, he could not show his full potential in domestic events due to harsh conditions.
And not many expected Gulveer to cause an upset considering the field had top Kenyan runners like World Championship silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and Olympian Edwin Kurgat.
The race, in itself, is probably the harshest he may have taken part in. The cold, Scottish rain known to put people into shivers did not deter the UP-born runner. Strategising and keeping a composed mind was important, as a small mistake could cost him the entire race. And he did that seamlessly. As the gun went off, the 28-year-old armyman ensured that he got into the leading pack along with Robinson. Then, as the race entered its midway phase, Gulveer brought his pace down by a notch to go down ninth, as the rain kept lashing down.
It may have seemed a gamble as the Kenyan duo Kurgat and Ebenyo, known for their performances, were in the lead. Give them a little room, and then there’s no coming back.
But as the race approached the 8000m - mark, Gulveer upped a gear and took third. The crowd at the stadium – trying to get a sight of the track as thick raindrops hamper their vision – were on the edge of their seats. But the best moment of his race came in the last lap. He incisively ran past Kurgat to take second in the last straight.
The data behind that lap also shows his efforts. 56.4 seconds in the last 400m, and an incredible 13.9 seconds in the home straight to seal silver. That last 400m run was part of the strategy and well-thought out advice from coach Simmons. “He told me not to do anything special. He asked me to stay behind the leaders, follow the pace and then give everything in the final 400 metres. The coach said the medal would be decided by speed in the closing stages, so I had to stay with the group and then make my move at the end," Gulveer told reporters after his performance.
When asked about his strategy, he just responded, “It was to win a medal. At one point, things became a little difficult because the pace kept changing. But everything worked out in the end. It was all by God's grace.”
Gulveer’s race also meant that the African hegemony in long-distance running can be cracked, after all. For the first time since 1970 CWG (Asian, African and Caribbean nations boycotted 1986 CWG), no African runner has been placed in the top 3 in this event. Let that sink in.
But Gulveer is not going to settle for just a silver. On Saturday, August 1, he will take part in his pet event, the men’s 5000m final on the same track. If he goes on to finish in the medal positions, he will be the first Indian track and field athlete to win two medals across different events in the Commonwealth Games.
If Sable shattered the glass ceiling in 2022, Gulveer has shown India can go the distance in long run.
