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With medals in both the 10,000m and 5,000m, Gulveer also became the first Indian to finish on the podium in two track events at a single Commonwealth Games.

Gulveer clocked 13:24.95 to finish third, edging Kenya's Cornelius Kemboi in a photo finish. "I am happy with the bronze medal. But I want to win more medals. My hunger is still not quenched," Gulveer said in the mixed zone.

The achievement was all the more remarkable because of the quality of the field. Just as in the 10,000m, Gulveer found himself up against some of the world's best distance runners, including 2024 World U20 champion Andrew Alamisi of Kenya, Tokyo Olympic medallist Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and 10,000m champion Ky Robinson of Australia.

Yet, much like his silver-medal run earlier in the week, Gulveer stuck to a simple but effective race plan - hugging the inside rail with the lead pack, conserving energy before unleashing a powerful finishing kick over the closing stages. "We followed the same strategy as the 10k - run the shortest possible distance by staying inside, stay in touch with the front pack and position well for the last 400 metres to finish strongly," his coach Scott Simmons told The Indian Express from Glasgow.

Far from being a flash in the pan, the performance underlined Gulveer's steady rise over the past three years. The Army runner from Sirsa, who trains out of Aligarh, has established himself as India's premier long-distance track athlete.

What has changed over the past two years is not just his results, but his transformation from a promising runner into a genuine contender on the world stage.

While Gulveer has dominated Asian competitions, his two medals in Glasgow - won against traditionally dominant African runners - have strengthened his credentials as an athlete capable of challenging the world's best.

Making of Gulveer

When Gulveer first began training under Simmons, he struggled to keep pace with the likes of multiple Olympic medallist Paul Chelimo during training sessions. In Glasgow, however, he finished ahead of several World and Olympic medallists.

The journey from there has been built on relentless consistency. "The biggest key behind Gulveer's transformation into a medal winner has been consistency in training. He has been doing the same things over and over to get that perfect result," Simmons said.

Gulveer Singh, of India, crosses the finish line to win the silver medal in the men's 10,000 meters final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. (AP Photo)

The coach also believes Gulveer has evolved tactically.

In the 10,000m, he repeatedly found gaps to move through the field whenever he risked losing contact with the leaders. "He has become a smart runner. That has come from training, but mostly from international racing. You can't beat the world if you only compete in India," Simmons explained.

The numbers back that up.

Since 2024, Gulveer has raced in India only at the Inter-State National Championships. Most of his competitions have been in Europe and the United States, where he has broken a succession of national records.

"In India, I don't get much competition. It is important for me to compete outside because I learn so much. Races outside India put me in difficult situations, and those experiences help me later," Gulveer had told this paper.

The finishing kick

In distance running, the finishing kick often separates medallists from the rest of the field. Gulveer's closing burst earned him medals in both the 10,000m and 5,000m, but Simmons insists there is still room for improvement. "We have been working to improve his finishing speed for four years. And we still have some more to improve," he said.

One of Gulveer's biggest lessons came at the 2025 World Championships, where he was running fourth with a kilometre remaining in the 5,000m heats before fading to ninth and missing out on a historic place in the final.

"The World Championships were a disappointment, but also a great learning experience. It's important to note that he was pipped at the line by World and Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, so you can't fault him for that," Simmons said. "However, you can see what he is capable of."

There is little time to celebrate. Asked what comes next, Simmons replied with a smile: "More training. We have a few things to work on. He didn't win gold in the 5,000m - that's something we want to change."

When Avinash Sable broke Kenya's long-standing dominance in the steeplechase at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, it offered India hope that medals in distance track events were no longer out of reach.

Gulveer's twin medals in Glasgow suggest that hope has evolved into belief.

For Indian athletics, that may be the biggest takeaway of all.