Asian Games 2026: Coach Scott Simmons eyes LA 2028 after India's distance runners make landmark strides

Simmons called India’s distance running a ‘sleeping giant’ that just needed time and support

One specialist who deserves ample credit for India’s breakthrough performances in distance running at the 2026 Asian Games is American coach Scott Simmons.

Gulveer Singh, Seema Kumari, and Sawan Barwal—Indian athletes and medalists from Aichi-Nagoya—have undergone intense training under him at the high-altitude training base in Colorado Springs, USA.

RELATED: Asian Games 2026: Gulveer Singh scripts history, earns second silver in Aichi Nagoya

Gulveer produced one of the most standout track performances in Nagoya, racing four times across five days and returning with three medals—silver in the 10,000m and 1,500m and bronze in the 5,000m. Gulveer’s haul came after his historic two-medal performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, where he won silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m.

RELATED: Asian Games 2026: Gulveer Singh wins bronze in men’s 5000m

Simmons, under whose tutelage Gulveer trains at Colorado Springs, said the plan for him had been built primarily around the 10,000m. Training specifically for that event also contributed to Gulveer’s performances over the shorter distances. “The plan proved to be very successful,” Simmons told SAI Media on Wednesday. “We obviously prepared 100% for the 10,000m. And Gulveer gave his best challenge, ending up with the silver. We thought that was his best event, but it also prepared him for the 1500m as a byproduct.”

Gulveer’s three Asian Games medals represented a significant progression from his 10,000m bronze at the 2022 Hangzhou Games. The key to that progression has been continuity, as per the American. Simmons recalled observing India’s distance runners when he first came to Bengaluru in early 2022 and described the discipline as a “sleeping giant,” but said the athletes needed time, support, and consistent training to realise their potential.

“We just needed the time and the support from the Indian government, from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), and other stakeholders to give these athletes the opportunity to do the correct training and give them time to develop and continue the consistency,” Simmons, a highly regarded distance running coach in the US, said.

The AFI, under ACTC support from the Union Sports Ministry, made a decisive push to send athletes such as Gulveer back to the United States for a continuous six-month stretch before Nagoya. That extended stint gave him the opportunity to train consistently in Colorado Springs and compete alongside athletes operating at a high level internationally.

“I think in the past, there was no consistency. There was always a late rush to get fit for the Asian Championships and Asian Games, whereas in distance running in particular, it’s like building a house. You’re always building the house. And when you’re not building the house, then you’re tearing down the house. And Gulveer’s done such a good job of continuing one step after another after another,” said Simmons in a video conference ahead of his flight back home from Nagoya.

That same environment has also been important for Sawan Barwal, who delivered another landmark performance in Nagoya. Barwal won silver in the men’s marathon in 2:11:37, improving his own national record and ending India’s 44-year wait for an Asian Games marathon medal.

Simmons said Barwal’s development was carefully structured despite his limited marathon experience. Simmons highlighted the value of Barwal’s training alongside established marathoners in Colorado Springs. “He’s been able to do training with athletes on that level,” Simmons said, referring to the world-class runners in the group.

RELATED: Asian Games 2026: Sawan Barwal creates history with marathon silver; ends India’s 44-year drought

“He (Barwal) does have some struggles because he’s still young and he’s still new to the distance. But this was a very good build-up. It’ll be better the next time, for sure. He can make further gains through more marathon-specific preparation and hopes that progression can eventually lead to qualification for the Beijing World Championships.”

The gains have not been restricted to Gulveer and Barwal. Simmons also pointed to the performances of other Indian athletes in his training group, including Seema Kumari, who won bronze in the women’s 10,000m in Nagoya—India’s first Asian Games medal in the event since 2010. He said the common factor was an environment in which athletes train together, learn from one another, and collectively push towards a higher level.

“When we all pull together and we train together, then everybody improves and everybody can get to this next level. And we saw that obviously with the Indians’ performance here in Nagoya,” said Simmons.

Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Simmons said the Indian athletes in Colorado Springs now have the belief that they can qualify, even as the qualification standards become increasingly demanding. He said training alongside athletes who are themselves targeting Los Angeles creates a competitive environment in which everyone can improve.

“They believe they can qualify, and qualifying is more difficult than it’s ever been,” Simmons said. “But again, they’re in a training group with others that have their eyes set on it also.” The American coach also called for two to four younger Indian athletes to be brought into the long-distance programme now, noting that reaching this level of competency could take two to four years.

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