Asian Athletics: Gulveer wins gold in men’s 10,000m; bronze for race walker Sebastian

NATIONAL record holder Gulveer Singh snared India's first gold with a top finish in the men's 10,000m event while Servin Sebastian clinched the 20km race walk bronze on a reasonably good opening day for the country at the 27th Asian Athletics Championships here on Tuesday.

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The 26-year-old Gulveer, a bronze-medallist at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and a pre-race favourite, clocked 28 minute 38.63 seconds to win his maiden Asian Championships gold.

Japan's Mebuki Suzuki (28:43.84) took the silver while Bahrain's Albert Kibichi Rop (28:46.82) won the bronze. Another Indian in the fray, Sawan Barwal finished fourth with a time of 28:50.53.

At the end of the opening day, India stood at second place with one gold and one bronze, behind China (5 gold, 2 silver) and above Japan (3 silver, 2 bronze).

Gulveer was elated to pocket gold at the continental championships, though the warm weather at the time of his 25-lap race denied him a better timing.