Gulveer Singh completes Asian Games medal treble after gruelling five-day athletics test

Nagoya: Before leaving for training or competitions, Gulveer Singh has a ritual he never skips. He prays to a small statue of Lord Hanuman that he carries with him everywhere and applies vermilion to his forehead.By the time he completed his 5000m race on Tuesday night, the red mark between his brows had long been washed away by rain and sweat. But the 29-year-old had left an indelible mark on the Asian Games, completing a treble of medals: a bronze in the 5000m to go with silvers in the 10,000m and 1500m.Asian Games Full Coverage | Schedule | Medal TallyHis week at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium has been defined by perseverance, discipline and versatility. Built on a staple diet of daal, roti, sabzi, paneer and protein supplements, his lean frame has carried him through three gruelling races in five days, producing a feat rarely seen in Indian athletics.Gulveer clocked a personal best of 13:32.75 to finish behind Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (13:30.79) and Japan’s Tomonori Yamaguchi (13:31.43).The three-medal haul, he said, was the result of sticking religiously to his routines and his coach’s plans.“I set out with the target of wanting to win three medals and I’m happy to have achieved that. I just listen to what the coach tells me and follow his plans. I never say, ‘Today I won’t do this.’ I follow the coach completely,” Gulveer said.Meanwhile, 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable, who finished fourth in his pet event, did not start.Pooja jumps to bronzeFor a while, Pooja’s name at the top of the high-jump leaderboard offered the possibility of a golden leap. The 19-year-old, however, had to settle for bronze after clearing 1.84m.The national record holder was flawless through 1.70m, 1.75m, 1.80m and 1.84m, clearing each height on her first attempt. She then failed all three attempts at 1.87m, but her clean card at 1.84m was enough to earn her the final podium spot on countback.Bronze in mixed relayHarita Bhadra, a last-minute inclusion in the squad, justified her selection by anchoring India to bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay.The quartet of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Satyanarayana, Animesh Kujur and Harita timed a season-best 41.06 seconds.India were fourth heading into the final leg, but Harita, who won bronze in the 200m earlier in the Games, produced a strong finish to overtake Sri Lanka’s Shanthi Perera and bring India another bronze.China won gold in 40.78 seconds, while Thailand took silver in 40.87.India signed off their athletics campaign with one gold, nine silver and 14 bronze.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.