Indian distance running witnessed a historic evening at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships as Gulveer Singh completed a rare 5000m-10000m double, while Parul Chaudhary smashed her own national record once again en route to a silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase.
Gulveer Singh Completes a Historic Double
Two years ago, Gulveer Singh was an emerging name. Today, he is the undisputed middle- and long-distance king of Asia. The 25-year-old clinched the 5000m gold medal, clocking 13:24.77 — a new Championship Record — and completed a rare double after his victory in the 10,000m earlier this week.
Gulveer became only the second Indian after Govindan Lakshmanan (2017) to win both events at the same edition of the Asian Championships. In doing so, he also joined an elite group of just five men in Asian Championships history to achieve the double.
His performance in the 5000m final was marked by a measured run that transitioned into a powerful finishing kick in the last lap, allowing him to pull away from a competitive field. The final 400m burst proved decisive — a trademark of his growing tactical maturity.
Already the national record holder in the 5000m, 10000m, and 3000m, Gulveer’s success in Gumi underlines his dominance in the distance circuit across Asia. His win also marked India’s sixth gold medal of the Championships.
Parul Chaudhary: Three Personal Bests in Ten Months
If Gulveer’s double was about strength and strategy, Parul Chaudhary’s silver in the women’s 3000m steeplechase was about consistency and relentless progress. The 28-year-old produced her third personal best in less than a year, clocking 9:12.36 to lower the national record for the third time since August 2023.
Parul began the 2025 season with a breakthrough performance at the Doha Diamond League earlier this month, where she clocked 9:13.39, shaving off nearly two seconds from her previous best. That itself had broken Lalita Babar’s long-standing national record of 9:19.76 at the 2023 World Championships.
In Gumi, Parul went even faster — improving the record again by more than a second. She now holds one of the fastest times by an Asian-born athlete in the history of the event. Although she finished behind the eventual gold medalist, Parul was the top-placed native Asian athlete, affirming her status as the continent’s best in the event.
At 9:12.36, Parul is also inching closer to the Olympic qualification standard for Los Angeles 2028, making her a key contender for the Games if this progression continues.
Record Timeline: Parul Chaudhary (3000m Steeplechase)
- 2023 World Championships – 9:15.31 (broke national record)
- 2025 Doha Diamond League – 9:13.39
- 2025 Asian Championships – 9:12.36
India’s Distance Renaissance
With both Gulveer and Parul stepping onto the podium with standout performances, Indian athletics continues its impressive upward trajectory in the distance running category — a domain long dominated by East Africans and Middle Eastern runners.
Gulveer’s championship double and Parul’s record-breaking run also reflect a shift in India’s approach: deeper training bases, improved pacing strategies, and more frequent exposure to top international competition.
Also noteworthy was Abhishek Pal, who clocked a personal best in the men’s 5000m but missed the podium. His progress, however, signals growing bench strength in the men’s distance squad.
Looking Ahead
Gulveer Singh and Parul Chaudhary will now shift focus to upcoming World Athletics Continental Tour events, and potentially the World Championships 2025, depending on qualification criteria. Both runners have shown they belong at that level — not just in time but in temperament.
For Indian athletics, their results are more than medals. They are proof that the system is producing not only performers but consistent contenders — athletes capable of challenging continental and global benchmarks on a regular basis.
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