Gulveer Singh breaks national record at New York City Half Marathon 2026
New Delhi, March 15
India's star distance runner, Gulveer Singh, improved the national men's half-marathon record in New York on Sunday.
According to an Athletics Federation of India (AFI) release, the 27-year-old army runner clocked 59:42 to finish third at the New York City Half Marathon 2026.
Adriaan Wildschutt of South Africa was first with a time of 59:30, followed by Moroccan-born American long-distance runner Zouhair Talbi, whose time was 59:41.
The previous national record of 1:00:30 was set by steeplechase specialist Avinash Sable in 2020 at the Delhi Half Marathon.
Singh is the first Indian distance runner to hold multiple national records, ranging from the 3,000m track to the 25km road race. The Asian Games medallist also holds the men's 5,000m and 10,000m track records.
Singh had a good run at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, winning both the 5,000m and 10,000m track races. This year, he is confident of a podium finish at both the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July and the Asian Games in September. "I'm fit and looking forward to good results in upcoming major international races," he said.
The army runner is currently based out of Colorado Springs in the USA.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud! It's incredible to see an athlete holding national records across such a wide range of distances. Shows his versatility and hard work. The training in Colorado Springs seems to be paying off. Jai Hind!
A great run, but finishing third by just 12 seconds to the winner shows the level of competition. We need more athletes like him to get this level of exposure and compete regularly on the global stage. More power to him!
As someone following athletics, this is huge progress. Breaking the 1-hour barrier in the half marathon is a significant milestone for any nation. Hoping this inspires a new generation of Indian runners.
Respectful criticism: While this is fantastic news, I hope the federation and SAI are providing consistent support to all our athletes, not just the stars. We need a strong pipeline, not just one champion.
Bahut badhiya! An army man making the country proud. His discipline is showing. Wishing him all the very best for Glasgow. Bring home more medals!
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