India experienced its most successful day to date at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, securing one gold and two silver medals. This brought the country’s total medal count to four. Boxers continued their strong performances, and the men’s swimming relay team reached another Commonwealth final.
Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medallist, was a highlight of India’s Day 4 achievements. She earned her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. Additionally, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi each contributed silver medals in weightlifting.
Weightlifting Successes
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu reaffirmed her status as a leading Indian weightlifter by winning gold in the women’s 48kg category. She overcame an initial unsuccessful attempt to deliver a strong performance, achieving a combined lift of 190kg. Chanu established a new Commonwealth Games record with an 85kg snatch and lifted 105kg in the clean and jerk to secure her title.
This victory marks her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, following wins in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. Her overall medal count at the Commonwealth Games now stands at four. The 31-year-old athlete also set new Commonwealth Games records in the clean and jerk and total lift categories. Her dominance was evident as the silver medallist finished 22kg behind her total.
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam secured a silver medal in the men’s 60kg event. He successfully lifted 116kg, 119kg, and 121kg in the snatch, with his best effort matching the Commonwealth Games record. In the clean and jerk, he managed 143kg, concluding with a total lift of 264kg. Muhammad Anik bin Kasdan of Malaysia won gold with a Games-record total of 273kg, while Joshua Amunga Buoya of Kenya took bronze with 260kg.
Raja Muthupandi added another silver for India in weightlifting, competing in the men’s 65kg category. He lifted 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, achieving a combined total of 286kg. Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin of Malaysia won gold with a new Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, and Morea Baru from Papua New Guinea earned bronze with 282kg. This silver medal marks a return to the podium for Muthupandi, who previously finished sixth in Gold Coast in 2018 and missed Birmingham 2022 due to injury.
Boxing and Swimming Performances
India’s boxing contingent had another productive day. Jadumani Singh Mandengbam advanced to the quarter-finals of the men’s 55kg category by defeating Sumama Rehman of Pakistan with a unanimous 5-0 decision. After a close first round, Singh gained control, scoring a knockdown in the second round. He is set to face Ellis Trowbridge of England in the quarter-finals.
In the women’s 54kg category, Preeti Pawar secured a dominant victory over Deborah Mtenje of Malawi, with the referee stopping the contest, allowing Pawar to comfortably move into the quarter-finals. However, Aditya Pratap Yadav faced a setback, losing to Nuhu Batte of Uganda by a 3-2 split decision in the men’s 65kg Round of 16.
The Indian men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, and Dhakshan Shashikumar, qualified for the final by finishing third in Heat 2. They recorded a time of 7:39.48, placing behind Australia and England. The quartet later competed in the medal race, finishing sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
Other Events
India faced challenges in lawn bowls. Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh lost to Namibia in a women’s pairs sectional play tiebreak and then to England, ending their campaign. In men’s singles, Putul Sonowal lost his sectional play match against Shaun James Parnis of Malta. Artistic gymnast Tapan Mohanty finished 15th in the men’s all-around final. India’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team also experienced a defeat, losing 21-4 to Scotland in Pool B.
India concluded Day 4 with a total of four medals: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, with the boxing team building momentum for the quarter-final stage.
The Commonwealth Games continue, with further competitions anticipated.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter