Indian athlete Gulveer Singh made headlines at The Ten 2024 athletics meet held in San Juan Capistrano, California, USA, by smashing the longstanding national record in the men’s 10,000 meters event on Sunday.
Clocking an impressive time of 27 minutes and 41.81 seconds, Gulveer Singh secured the second position, closely trailing behind American Drew Hunter, who clinched the top spot with a time of 27 minutes and 38.87 seconds. Gulveer’s remarkable performance shattered the previous national record of 28 minutes and 2.89 seconds, set by Surendra Singh in 2008, marking a historic achievement after almost 16 years.
Despite his outstanding feat, Gulveer Singh, who had won the bronze medal at the Asian Games last year in the same distance, fell short of the entry standard required for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which stands at 27 minutes.
The men’s 10,000 meters race also witnessed notable performances from other Indian athletes. Kartik Kumar, who secured a silver at the Asian Games ahead of Gulveer Singh, showcased a stellar performance by clocking a new personal best of 28 minutes and 1.90 seconds, earning him the ninth position.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for Indian athletes at The Ten meet. Avinash Sable, the gold medalist in the men’s 3000 meters steeplechase at the Asian Games, faced disappointment after registering a DNF (did not finish) in a separate men’s 10,000 meters race, withdrawing from the competition on the 15th lap.
In the women’s category, Parul Chaudhary displayed her prowess by finishing 20th in the 10,000 meters race with a commendable time of 32 minutes and 2.08 seconds, becoming the third-fastest Indian woman in this event. Despite setting a new personal best, Parul fell short of the Paris Olympics qualifying standard.
In another women’s 10,000 meters race, Seema secured the third position with a personal best time of 32 minutes and 7.67 seconds, followed by Sanjivani Jadhav in fourth place with 32 minutes and 21.76 seconds, and Ankita finishing eighth with a time of 32 minutes and 48.71 seconds. All three athletes showcased exceptional performances, registering new personal bests in the event.
