India, July 31 -- Crossing the finish line in 27min 49.78 sec to claim a sensational 10,000m silver at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, long-distance runner Gulveer Singh did what no Indian man before him had accomplished. He cemented his name in history alongside legendary sprinter Milkha Singh and steeplechaser Avinash Sable by becoming the third Indian male track athlete to secure a CWG podium finish. "Jab daud raha tha tab yeh nahi soch raha tha ki kaunsa medal jeetunga," Gulveer recalls. "But when I crossed the line and saw our Tiranga rising across the stands... that's when it hit me (what I have achieved)," adds the 28-year-old who hails from Uttar Pradesh's Atrauli. As big as the occasion was, the conditions were brutal as rain poured hard on the tracks. But hardships are where Gulveer thrives, as his foundation was forged in the Indian Army back in 2018. "Pehle main Indian Army ka jawaan hoon, phir athlete hoon," says the Naib Subedar. "The day I joined the Army, the thought of life being easy was wiped clean from my head. The harder things get, the tougher I become... Baarish hi toh thi, daudne se thodi na rok deti," he adds. Gulveer began the final lap in third, trailing Australia's Ky Robinson and Kenya's Edwin Kurgat, but when around 200 metres were left, he overtook Kurgat to finish second. Despite his hardened exterior, Gulveer couldn't hold back his emotions. He dropped to his knees, putting his forehead to the ground in reverence and relief. "I run for the nation, but my family runs for me in their own way," he shares, adding, "For months on end, I am away from them. Yaad aati hai bahut toh aankh bhar aati hai... So when I'm in those final few metres and meri laaton mein aag jaisa lag raha hota hai, that (my family) is where I draw my strength from." The silver is secured, but the job isn't done. "Kal 5K race hai... bhagwan ka naam lunga aur phir daud lagaunga," he concludes....