Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu secured the first gold medal for India at the Commonwealth Games 2026, competing in the women’s 48 kg category. The event took place at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow, Scotland. This victory marks her third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, following her wins in Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
Mirabai Chanu achieved a total lift of 190 kg, which included 85 kg in the snatch and 105 kg in the clean and jerk. She outperformed Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong by a margin of 22 kg. Ruth Asuquo Nyong earned the silver medal with a total of 168 kg, while Malaysia’s Irene Jane Henry took bronze with 167 kg.
Her performance in Glasgow established new Commonwealth Games records across the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total. During the snatch event, Mirabai Chanu initially missed her opening 82 kg attempt due to a loss of balance. However, she successfully lifted 82 kg on her second attempt and then set a Games record with an 85 kg lift on her third attempt.
In the clean and jerk, she also missed her first attempt at 105 kg but successfully lifted the weight on her second try, which was enough to secure the gold medal. This latest achievement adds to her collection of Commonwealth Games medals, bringing her total to four. She previously won a silver medal at Glasgow 2014, in addition to her three gold medals. Mirabai Chanu is also a Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist.
Other Indian Performances
On the same day, India’s Rishikanta Singh secured a silver medal in the men’s 60 kg weightlifting event. In other weightlifting news, India’s Bindyarani Devi is preparing for her clean and jerk attempts, with her declared opening weight set at 113 kg, currently the highest starting lift in the field. Several lifters have already surpassed the 100 kg mark, including South Africa’s Anneke Spies-Burger with 101 kg, and Australia’s Ashley Kolomoisky, who cleared 100 kg before improving to 104 kg. Wales’ Catrin Haf Jones achieved a personal best with a successful 106 kg lift.
Bindyarani Devi matched Pratt’s third attempt of 87 kg with her own successful 87 kg lift. Despite this, Bindyarani maintained her lead over Pratt on countback, having registered 85 kg as her second-best lift compared to Pratt’s 84 kg. Nigeria’s Rafiatu Lawal is anticipated to increase her opening weight before her attempt.
In lawn bowls, India’s Putul Sonowal exited the men’s singles competition after a 1.5-0.5 defeat to Kenya’s Hamada in his final sectional match. Putul had a strong comeback in the sixth end, scoring two points to take a 5-4 lead and keeping hopes of a tiebreak alive. However, both players faced accuracy challenges in the decisive seventh end. Despite Putul initially holding an advantage, Hamada’s final delivery finished closest to the jack, resulting in a 5-5 draw for the second set and sealing the match 1.5-0.5. This defeat placed Putul fifth in the standings with two wins and three losses, concluding his singles campaign ahead of Hamada.
Athletics Progress
In swimming, India’s Swatik Patil qualified for the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 final. He finished fourth in his heat with a time of 1:15.85, securing an automatic spot in the final scheduled for 12:02 AM on Tuesday, July 28.
Tejas Shirse, an Indian hurdler, has qualified for the men’s 110m hurdles final with a time of 13.76 seconds. His personal best and national record stands at 13.27 seconds, suggesting potential for a stronger performance. If Shirse can approach his personal best, he could be a strong contender for a medal. His national record time would have been the third-fastest across the heats, while his qualifying time was the seventh-fastest overall. The final is scheduled for 2:15 AM.
The 23rd Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026. Glasgow is hosting the event for the second time, having previously done so in 2014. The city became the host after Victoria, Australia, withdrew, with Scotland confirmed as the host in October 2024. The Games are designed to be compact and cost-conscious, utilizing existing sports infrastructure rather than constructing new venues. The sports program features 10 sports, including six fully integrated Para sports: Para Athletics, Para Swimming, Para Track Cycling, Para Powerlifting, Para Bowls, and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball. Approximately 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories are participating. Key venues include the SEC Armadillo for weightlifting, Scotstoun Stadium for athletics, and the SEC Centre for bowls. The Opening Ceremony took place at the OVO Hydro arena on July 23, 2026.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter