Indian Athletes Progress in Swimming and Weightlifting
Indian athletes have seen significant progress in various events at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. In swimming, RVVBK Budigina and Ali Imam have both secured spots in the Men’s 50m Freestyle S13 final. Budigina finished third in Heat 1 with a time of 26.33 seconds, while Imam clocked 28.41 seconds to finish fifth in Heat 2, both comfortably qualifying for the medal race. Additionally, Srihari Nataraj advanced to the men’s 100m backstroke semifinals after finishing fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 55.58 seconds. The top 16 swimmers from all heats moved on to the semifinals.
However, Sajan Prakash did not qualify for the semifinals in the men’s 50m butterfly. Competing in Heat 9, he finished last in his race with a time of 24.94 seconds, placing 28th overall among 70 swimmers. A time quicker than 24.25 seconds was needed to qualify for the semifinals.
In weightlifting, Nirupama Devi Seram competed in the Women’s 63kg final. She successfully lifted 93kg in her second snatch attempt, finishing the snatch round in fifth place. She initially registered 115kg for her opening clean and jerk attempt, later raising it to 123kg, but failed to complete the lift. Canada’s Maude Charron led the snatch round with a Commonwealth Games record of 102kg, followed by Nauru’s Femily-Crystie Notte with 100kg, and Australia’s Kiana Rose Elliott with 99kg.
Historic Gold in Para Athletics and Boxing Prospects
Sharmila Dhankar made history by winning India’s first para-athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026. She achieved this feat in the women’s Shot Put F57 event, recording a season-best throw of 9.81 metres at Scotstoun Stadium. This victory ended India’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Her teammate, Shilpa K Shyla, also secured a bronze medal in the same event, contributing to a rare double-podium finish for India.
The F57 category is designated for athletes with lower limb impairments or reduced muscle power. Dhankar’s journey to gold is marked by resilience, having overcome personal challenges. She began competing at the age of 33, and her success has garnered praise from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya also shared a video celebrating her and Shilpa’s achievement.
Looking ahead, India’s boxing contingent has a busy evening with five quarterfinal contests scheduled. Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, Parveen Hooda, Jadumani Singh, and Kapil Pokhariya are all one victory away from securing at least a bronze medal by advancing to the semifinals. Boxing is considered one of India’s strong medal prospects at the Games.
Continuing India’s Medal Momentum
After a successful Monday that saw India secure six medals, bringing the country’s total tally to 10, the contingent aims to maintain its momentum. The schedule for Tuesday includes medal events in weightlifting and athletics, in addition to the boxing quarterfinals and swimming heats and semifinals. Nirupama Devi Seram and Harjinder Kaur are among those with medal chances in weightlifting, while Pooja Singh and Gulveer Singh will compete in medal events in athletics.
The Commonwealth Games 2026, hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026, features athletes from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories. India is participating with a 191-member contingent, comprising 126 athletes and 65 officials. As of July 28, 2026, India ranks 8th in the medal table with 2 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
Sharmila Dhankar is also looking forward to the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Japan next month.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
