Glasgow: Gyaneshwari Yadav secures silver in women’s 53kg weightlifting
Gyaneshwari Yadav earned a silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. Her performance included a personal-best total of 199kg, comprising an 88kg snatch and a 111kg clean and jerk. This achievement followed a closely contested final where she pushed the eventual gold medallist.
Earlier in the competition, Gyaneshwari Yadav had secured second place in the snatch portion of the event with her 88kg lift. Nigeria’s Onome Omolola Didih led the field after lifting 93kg in the snatch, setting new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records. Despite the lead held by Didih, Gyaneshwari Yadav remained in contention for the gold medal as the competition moved to the clean and jerk.
A Tense Clean and Jerk Battle
The clean and jerk segment began with Gyaneshwari Yadav making an impressive opening lift of 103kg, which momentarily placed her in the lead with a total of 191kg, setting a new Games Record. Didih, however, increased her opening attempt from 100kg to 105kg and successfully completed the lift, maintaining her lead. Both lifters showed confidence in their initial attempts, indicating a tight contest ahead.
As the competition progressed, Gyaneshwari Yadav comfortably cleared 107kg in her second clean and jerk attempt, earning three white lights and intensifying the pressure on Didih. The Nigerian responded by successfully lifting 110kg, breaking more Commonwealth Games records and solidifying her position. With one attempt remaining for both athletes, the gold medal decision came down to their final lifts.
In a dramatic finish, Gyaneshwari Yadav delivered a sensational 111kg clean and jerk, grinding out the lift and securing three white lights. This effort kept her gold medal hopes alive and put immense pressure on Didih. The Nigerian then successfully lifted 111kg, securing the gold medal and leaving Gyaneshwari Yadav with the silver.
Other Indian Athletes’ Performances
Beyond weightlifting, other Indian athletes also saw action on July 27. In athletics, Murali Sreeshankar qualified for the men’s long jump final with a best jump of 8.01m. Lokesh Sathyanathan also secured his spot in the men’s long jump final with an effort of 7.77m. Tejas Shirse advanced to the men’s 110m hurdles final after finishing third in his heat with a time of 13.76s.
In swimming, Sajan Prakash qualified for the men’s 200m butterfly final, clocking 1:59.58. Swatik Patil booked his place in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 final with the sixth-fastest time in the heats, 1:15.85. However, Gurindervir Singh exited the men’s 100m heats after finishing 28th overall with a time of 10.39 seconds, as only the top 17 advanced to the semi-finals.
Boxing saw success for India, with Sachin Siwach advancing to the men’s 60kg quarter-finals after a 4-1 split-decision victory over England’s William Hewitt. Ankush Panghal also progressed to the men’s 80kg quarter-finals with a 5-0 win against Zalaan Jan of Antigua and Barbuda in the Round of 16. In artistic gymnastics, Protistha Samanta finished seventh in the women’s vault final, having qualified in seventh position with a score of 12.700.
Looking ahead, Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam is set to compete in the women’s 58kg weightlifting final. The 27-year-old from Manipur is a former world champion in the clean and jerk and a Commonwealth Games silver medallist from Birmingham 2022, where she set a Games record with a 116kg clean and jerk. She has continued to perform strongly, claiming silver at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships earlier this year with a career-best total of 206kg, consisting of a 91kg snatch and a 115kg clean and jerk. She will open with 85kg in the snatch, while Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal has a 90kg opening attempt, and Canada’s Ann Sophie Taschereau has a 93kg snatch entry and a 113kg clean and jerk.
Gyaneshwari’s Previous Achievements
Gyaneshwari Yadav arrived at the Commonwealth Games with a history of medal wins. She had previously secured two medals in the 53kg category at the 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships held in Gandhinagar. At that event, she earned a silver medal in the snatch section and an overall bronze medal with a combined lift of 194kg.
During the Commonwealth Games final, Gyaneshwari Yadav started her lift at 83kg, a weight significantly heavier than the opening lifter of the day, Kim Lagana from Malta. She demonstrated composure by easily lifting 82kg in her initial attempt, placing her in second position behind Canada’s Rebeka Groulx, who lifted 83kg. Her second lift saw her effortlessly achieve 88kg, setting a new Games record in the 53kg category, which put pressure on Didih.
The final day of competition on July 27, 2026, saw several Indian athletes vying for medals and advancing in their respective events.
Source: indiatoday.in
