India secures 15 medals at Commonwealth Games; Sreeshankar wins long jump silver
Sreeshankar’s Silver Medal Performance
Murali Sreeshankar, the Indian long jumper, secured his second consecutive silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026. His best effort in the men’s long jump measured 8.09m. This achievement makes him the first Indian to win back-to-back medals in the event at the Commonwealth Games. Sreeshankar’s performance follows a significant comeback from a career-threatening ruptured patellar tendon injury in April 2024.
During the competition, Sreeshankar began with an 8.03m jump, placing him third initially. He then moved into the lead with his 8.09m attempt. However, Tajay Gayle of Jamaica responded with a winning jump of 8.15m to claim the gold medal. Stephen McKenzie of Scotland earned the bronze with an 8.08m jump. Another Indian athlete, Lokesh Sathyanathan, finished fifth with a best jump of 7.97m.
Sreeshankar’s father and coach, S Murali, embraced him after the final attempt. The 27-year-old athlete has consistently jumped over 8m this year, including a season’s best of 8.38m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.
Historic Wins in Para Athletics and Boxing Success
India achieved a historic one-two finish in para athletics in the men’s 100m T47 event. Dilip Mahadu Gavit secured the gold medal, setting a Games record time of 10.71 seconds. Mohammed Basil Morssinganakathi followed, claiming the silver medal with a season-best time of 10.83 seconds.
This marks India’s third gold medal of the Games, with previous golds secured by Mirabai Chanu in women’s 48kg weightlifting and Sharmila Dhankar in the women’s shot put F57 event.
Indian boxers also had a successful day, guaranteeing 10 medals by reaching the semifinals. Six additional athletes advanced to the last four, joining four who had already secured their spots. Those who progressed include Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), Ankush Panghal (80kg), Narender Berwal (+90kg), and Jaismine Lamboria (57kg). They join Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Jadumani Singh (55kg).
In the women’s 57kg quarterfinal, Jaismine Lamboria defeated England’s Elise Glynn 4-1. This performance has already surpassed India’s boxing medal count from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where the team won seven medals. With all 10 boxers in the semifinals, India is assured of at least 10 bronze medals.
Mixed Results in Other Events
On the track, Yashas Palaksha and Santhosh K Tamilarasan qualified for the men’s 400m hurdles final. Santhosh finished third in Heat 2 with a time of 49.51 seconds, while Yashas placed third in Heat 1 in 49.65 seconds. Both advanced as the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
In field events, Manpreet Singh narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in the women’s shot put final with a throw of 17.49m. However, Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill qualified for the men’s shot put final. Toor achieved an automatic qualification with a throw of 20.14m, and Gill’s best throw was 19.95m.
National record holder Animesh Kujur qualified for the men’s 200m semifinals, winning Heat 4 in 20.46 seconds and finishing seventh overall. India’s weightlifting campaign faced a setback as Sanjana did not finish the women’s 77kg event. In swimming, Sajan Prakash and Aneesh S Gowda did not qualify for the men’s 200m freestyle final, finishing 20th and 18th overall, respectively.
India’s overall medal tally reached 15 medals, comprising three gold, nine silver, and three bronze, placing the country eighth in the standings.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
