Gulveer Singh Bags Bronze, Sets New Indian Record at New York City Half Marathon

India’s Gulveer Singh delivered a historic performance at the NYC Half Marathon 2026, winning bronze while breaking the national record with a superb run in New York City on Sunday, March 15.

The 27-year-old clocked 59:42 to finish third in a highly competitive elite men’s field, becoming the first Indian man to run a half marathon in under one hour. Gulveer’s effort was significant not only for the podium finish but also for the national record he shattered. He improved upon the previous Indian men’s half-marathon record of 1:00:30, set by Avinash Sable at the Delhi Half Marathon in 2020.

By trimming 48 seconds off that mark, Gulveer produced one of the finest road-race performances by an Indian long-distance runner. The race was closely fought at the front. Adriaan Wildschutt of South Africa won the title in 59:30, while Moroccan-born American Zouhair Talbi finished second in 59:41.

Gulveer crossed the line just one second behind Talbi, highlighting how competitive his run was against a world-class field. Notably, the event also marked his professional half-marathon debut, making the achievement even more remarkable.

Gulveer targets major international podiums

Following his impressive performance in New York, Gulveer has now set his sights on podium finishes at the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2026 in July and the Asian Games 2026 in September. The Indian Army runner is currently training in Colorado Springs.

“I’m fit and looking forward to good results in upcoming major international races,” Gulveer said. Gulveer has steadily emerged as one of India’s leading distance runners, becoming the first athlete from the country to hold multiple national records across events ranging from the 3,000m on the track to the 25km road race.

A bronze medallist in the 10,000m at the Asian Games 2022, he also holds the Indian records in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m. He also enjoyed a successful outing at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, where he won gold medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, and will now look to carry that momentum into the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games later this year.