Glasgow: Mirabai Chanu secures third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold
Indian athletes achieved significant success on Sunday at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, securing one gold and two silver medals. This performance brought India’s total medal count to four, with weightlifters playing a key role in this achievement. Boxers also continued their strong showing, and the men’s swimming relay team reached another Commonwealth final.
Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medallist, was a standout performer for India on Day 4, earning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. In weightlifting, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi each contributed silver medals. In boxing, Jadumani Singh advanced to the quarter-finals with a dominant victory, and Preeti Pawar also moved forward with a stoppage win. The men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team qualified for and competed in the final event.
Chanu’s Golden Hat-trick and Weightlifting Success
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu reaffirmed her status as a leading Indian weightlifter by winning the gold medal 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 then lifted 105kg in the clean and jerk, comfortably securing the title.
This victory marks her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, following her wins in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. Her overall Commonwealth Games medal tally now stands at four. Chanu mentioned the pressure she felt from family and friends, expressing happiness at winning her third gold for India. She also noted that she had not eaten for two days to maintain her weight for the competition.
Ruth Asuquo Nyong of Nigeria finished second with a total lift of 168kg, significantly behind Chanu’s winning effort. Chanu’s dominance was evident, as she chose to skip her third attempt in the clean and jerk, with the Asian Games scheduled less than two months away.
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 but missed attempts at 148kg and 151kg, resulting in 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 mentioned that a knee problem affected his performance in the clean and jerk, preventing him from achieving his target of gold. Despite this, he expressed pride in being the first male weightlifter from Manipur to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Raja Muthupandi added another silver medal for India in the men’s 65kg category. The lifter from Tamil Nadu recorded 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, for a combined total of 286kg. Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin claimed gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, and Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru earned bronze with 282kg.
Muthupandi’s silver medal marked a return to the Commonwealth Games podium after finishing sixth in Gold Coast in 2018. He had missed the Birmingham 2022 event due to an injury-disrupted period.
Boxing and Other Events
India’s boxers had a productive day. Jadumani Singh Mandengbam defeated Pakistan’s Sumama Rehman by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the men’s 55kg Round of 16, advancing to the quarter-finals. He is set to face England’s Ellis Trowbridge in the next round. Preeti Pawar also progressed to the quarter-finals in the women’s 54kg Round of 16, defeating Malawi’s Deborah Mtenje by referee stops contest (RSC).
However, Aditya Pratap Yadav experienced a setback, narrowly losing to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the men’s 65kg Round of 16 by a 3-2 split decision.
In swimming, the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, and Dhakshan Shashikumar, qualified for the final. They finished third in Heat 2 with a time of 7:39.48, behind Australia and England. The quartet later competed in the medal race and finished sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
India faced challenges in lawn bowls, with Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh losing to Namibia and then England in women’s pairs sectional play, ending their campaign. In men’s singles, Putul Sonowal lost his sectional play match against Malta’s Shaun James Parnis. Artistic gymnast Tapan Mohanty finished 15th in the men’s all-around final. Additionally, India’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team lost 21-4 to Scotland in Pool B.
India concluded Day 4 with a total of four medals at the Games, including one gold and two silvers, with the boxing team continuing to build momentum for the quarter-final stage.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
