India experienced a successful day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, securing a total of four medals. The day’s achievements included one gold and two silver medals, with weightlifters and boxers contributing significantly to the tally. The men’s swimming relay team also advanced to another Commonwealth final.
Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medallist, was a prominent figure, earning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. Her victory was complemented by silver medals from fellow weightlifters Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi. In boxing, Jadumani Singh progressed to the quarter-finals, and Preeti Pawar also advanced.
Chanu’s Record-Breaking Performance
Mirabai Chanu solidified her reputation as a leading Indian weightlifter by winning gold in the women’s 48kg category. Despite an initial unsuccessful attempt, she delivered a strong performance, achieving a combined lift of 190kg. She established a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch with 85kg and lifted 105kg in the clean and jerk, securing the title.
This win marks her third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, following her successes in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. Her overall medal count at the Commonwealth Games now stands at four. Chanu also set new Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records in the snatch, and new CWG marks in both the clean and jerk and total lift categories.
She had a nervous start, failing her opening snatch attempt at 82kg, but quickly recovered to lift the weight and then set a new Commonwealth record. In the clean and jerk, after an initial failed attempt, she successfully lifted 105kg, securing the gold and breaking the Commonwealth Games record in that category, as well as the total lift mark.
Weightlifting Silvers for Singh and Muthupandi
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam secured a silver medal in the men’s 60kg event. The 28-year-old lifter from Manipur successfully lifted 116kg, 119kg, and 121kg in the snatch, with his best effort matching the Commonwealth Games record. He managed 143kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total lift of 264kg. Malaysia’s Muhammad Anik bin Kasdan won gold with a Games-record total of 273kg, while Kenya’s Joshua Amunga Buoya took bronze with 260kg.
Singh expressed disappointment at not achieving gold, citing a knee problem that affected his clean and jerk attempts. He noted that he had performed 155kg in training and 153kg in competitions for the clean and jerk. Despite this, he became the first male weightlifter from Manipur to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Raja Muthupandi added another silver medal for India in weightlifting, competing in the men’s 65kg category. The lifter from Tamil Nadu recorded 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, resulting in a combined total of 286kg. Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin secured gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, and Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru earned bronze with 282kg.
Muthupandi’s silver medal marks a return to the Commonwealth Games podium after finishing sixth in Gold Coast in 2018. His journey back to the podium followed an injury-affected period that led to him missing the Birmingham 2022 Games. He also expressed disappointment at not winning gold, stating that his performance did not align with his plans.
Boxing and Swimming Progress
Indian boxers continued their strong campaign. Jadumani Singh Mandengbam defeated Pakistan’s Sumama Rehman with a unanimous 5-0 decision in the men’s 55kg Round of 16, advancing to the quarter-finals. He is scheduled to face England’s Ellis Trowbridge in the next round. Preeti Pawar also moved to the quarter-finals in the women’s 54kg Round of 16, defeating Malawi’s Deborah Mtenje by referee stops contest (RSC).
However, India also faced a setback in boxing, with Aditya Pratap Yadav losing to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte by a 3-2 split decision in the men’s 65kg Round of 16. In swimming, India’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, and Dhakshan Shashikumar, qualified for the final after finishing third in their heat. The team clocked 7:39.48 and later finished sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
In other events, India had mixed results. In lawn bowls, Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh lost to Namibia and then to England, ending their campaign in the women’s pairs event. Putul Sonowal also lost his sectional play match in men’s singles. Artistic gymnast Tapan Mohanty finished 15th in the men’s all-around final. India’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team lost 21-4 to Scotland in Pool B.
India concluded Day 4 of the Games with a total of four medals: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
