Glasgow: Mirabai Chanu secures third Commonwealth Games gold as India adds three medals
India experienced its most successful day to date at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, securing one gold and two silver medals in Glasgow. This brings the nation’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, earning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. Additionally, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi each contributed silver medals in weightlifting events.
Weightlifting Successes
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu reinforced her standing as a top Indian weightlifter by winning gold in the women’s 48kg category. She overcame an initial unsuccessful attempt to deliver a dominant performance, achieving a combined lift of 190kg. Chanu set a new Commonwealth Games record with an 85kg snatch and lifted 105kg in the clean and jerk, securing the title comfortably. This victory marks her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, following wins in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022, bringing her overall Commonwealth Games medal count to four.
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam earned a silver medal in the men’s 60kg event. The 28-year-old lifter successfully lifted 116kg, 119kg, and 121kg in the snatch, with his best effort matching the Commonwealth Games record. He then lifted 143kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total 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 contributed another silver medal for India in weightlifting, competing in the men’s 65kg category. The lifter from Tamil Nadu achieved 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, resulting in a combined total of 286kg. Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin secured gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, and Morea Baru from Papua New Guinea claimed bronze with 282kg. This silver medal marks a return to the Commonwealth Games 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 boxers continued their strong campaign. 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. Singh, from Manipur, gained control of the bout after a close first round, achieving a knockdown in the second. He is scheduled to face Ellis Trowbridge of England in the quarter-finals. In the women’s 54kg category, Preeti Pawar also moved to the quarter-finals after a dominant performance against Malawi’s Deborah Mtenje, winning by referee stops contest (RSC).
However, India did experience a setback in boxing when Aditya Pratap Yadav narrowly lost to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the men’s 65kg Round of 16 by a 3-2 split decision.
In swimming, India’s 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, finishing sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
India concluded Day 4 with a total of four medals: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, with the boxing contingent building momentum towards the quarter-final stage.
Mixed Results in Other Sports
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 the event. In men’s singles, Putul Sonowal was defeated by Malta’s Shaun James Parnis in his sectional play match.
Artistic gymnast Tapan Mohanty finished 15th in the men’s all-around final. India’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team also suffered a defeat, losing 21-4 to Scotland in Pool B.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Menon 