Bengaluru, March 26 : Gulveer Singh, 10,000m & 5,000m national record holder, will lead the Indian elite field at the 18th edition of the World 10K Bengaluru, scheduled to take place April 26.

A World Athletics Gold Label Race, carries a total prize purse of USD 210,000, with USD 26,000 awarded to the winners in the menâ??s and womenâ??s categories. Indian elite athletes will also compete for top honours with Rs 3 lakh on offer for the top finishers, with an additional Rs 1 lakh awarded for setting an event record.

Gulveer heads into the race in red-hot form, having finished third at the New York City Half Marathon earlier this month, where he clocked 59:42, which is the best timing for any Indian half-marathon runner.

The national record holder in both the 10,000m (27:00.22) and 5000m (12:59.77), Gulveer enjoyed a standout 2025 season, winning both events at the Asian Athletics Championships. He also set an event record of 1:12:06 at the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata 2025.

â??The TCS World 10K Bengaluru is one of the most competitive road races in the country, and Iâ??m excited to line up this year. It will be a great opportunity to test myself again on the roads in Bengaluru,â?? said Gulveer.

Earlier in the month, organisers also announced a strong international elite line-up for the 18th edition of the race, including the likes of Harbert Kibet of Uganda, Kenyaâ??s Vincent Langat, Ethiopiaâ??s Gemechu Dida and Eritreaâ??s Samuel Habte.

Speaking about the quality of the field, Gulveer said, â??The TCS World 10K Bengaluru attracts some of the best international athletes every year. Competing against such a strong field motivates Indian runners to push themselves harder, and it can also inspire many young athletes in the country to take up running.â??

"Events like this are very important for the ecosystem, especially in a year where we are focusing on the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games," he added.

/IANS