India, Aug. 3 -- Uttar Pradesh has long been a nursery for India's distance running talent. The state first stamped its name on the continental stage when Mau's Bahadur Prasad won gold at the 1989 Asian Championships.

Varanasi's Gulab Chand built on that reputation by taking the 10,000m bronze at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. Both Prasad, India's No.1 from 1,500m to 10,000m from late 1980s to mid 1990s, and Chand who followed him collected multiple victories at national level as well.

The latest distance star from UP is Aligarh's Gulveer Singh after the Armyman won the 10,000m silver and 5,000m bronze - he became the first to win two athletics medals in the same Commonwealth Games edition.

Gulveer demonstrated both range and tactical m...