Gulveer Singh Makes History as India Grabs Mixed Relay Bronze
Gulveer Singh makes history with three medals at the Asian Games 2026, while India's mixed 4x100m relay team clinches bronze in Japan.
It was a historic Tuesday at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as India celebrated a double podium triumph. While the mixed 4x100m relay team fought through challenging weather to secure bronze, superstar athlete Gulveer Singh etched his name into the record books by claiming his third medal of the Games.
Relay Quartet Battles Rain to Secure Bronze
In a high-octane final impacted by rain, the Indian mixed 4x100m relay team delivered a season-best performance to claim the bronze medal. The quartet, consisting of Gurindervir Singh, Harita Bhadra, Sneha Sathyanarayana Shanuvalli, and Animesh Kujur, clocked a time of 41.06 seconds.
The race was a fierce battle among the top Asian powers:
- Gold: China (40.78 seconds)
- Silver: Thailand (40.87 seconds)
- Bronze: India (41.06 seconds)
The Indian performance was a masterclass in baton exchange and momentum. Gurindervir Singh provided a powerful start in the opening leg, followed by Sneha Sathyanarayana Shanuvalli, who kept the pace steady in the second leg. Animesh Kujur took over in the third leg, setting the stage for Harita Bhadra, who delivered a blistering anchor leg to ensure India reached the podium.
Gulveer Singh: A Historic Hat-Trick
While the relay team celebrated, the spotlight also shone brightly on Gulveer Singh, who achieved a monumental feat in the men's 5000m event. By clinching the bronze medal with a time of 13:32.75, Gulveer became the first Indian man to win three individual medals at a single edition of the Asian Games.
The 5000m final was an intense tactical battle. Bahrain's Birhanu Balew took the gold with a time of 13:30.79, while host nation Japan's Tomonori Yamaguchi secured the silver at 13:31.43, leaving Gulveer to fight hard for his place on the podium.
A Dominant Athletics Campaign
Gulveer's bronze in the 5000m completes a remarkable "hat-trick" of medals for the distance runner. His journey through the Aichi-Nagoya Games has been nothing short of extraordinary, having already secured two silver medals earlier in the competition:
- Silver: Men's 1500m
- Silver: Men's 10,000m
- Bronze: Men's 5000m
These consecutive podium finishes have established Gulveer as one of the standout performers of the 2026 Games and a cornerstone of India's athletics campaign.