Glasgow: Mirabai Chanu secures third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, India adds two silvers
India experienced its most successful day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, accumulating one gold and two silver medals. This brought the nation’s total medal count to four, while boxers continued their strong performances and the men’s swimming relay team reached another final.
Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medallist, was a highlight of India’s Day 4, achieving her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. In weightlifting, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi each secured silver medals. Additionally, Jadumani Singh advanced to the boxing quarter-finals, and Preeti Pawar also moved forward in her boxing event. The men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team participated in the final.
Chanu’s Golden Hat-trick and Weightlifting Success
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu reaffirmed her standing as a prominent Indian weightlifter by winning the gold medal in the women’s 48kg category. Despite an initial unsuccessful attempt, she delivered a dominant performance, achieving a combined lift of 190kg. She established a new Commonwealth Games record of 85kg in the snatch and then lifted 105kg in the clean and jerk, securing her title comfortably.
This victory marks her third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, following her wins in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. This achievement brings her overall Commonwealth Games medal tally to four. The 31-year-old athlete broke both Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records in the snatch, and also set new CWG records in the clean and jerk and total lift categories.
Her dominance was evident as silver medallist Ruth Asuquo Nyong of Nigeria finished 22kg behind Chanu with a total lift of 168kg. Chanu’s competition effectively began after other competitors had finished their attempts. Despite a nervous start with a failed opening snatch attempt at 82kg and a brief moment of uncertainty in the clean and jerk, she recovered to secure the gold, choosing to forgo her third attempt in consideration of the upcoming Asian Games.
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 lift 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 recorded 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, resulting in a combined total of 286kg. Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin of Malaysia 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 podium for Muthupandi, who finished sixth in 2018 at Gold Coast and missed Birmingham 2022 due to injury.
Boxing Progress and Relay Performance
India’s boxers had a productive day. 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 in the Round of 16. After a close first round, the boxer from Manipur gained control, scoring a knockdown in the second round. He is scheduled to face Ellis Trowbridge of England in the quarter-finals. In the women’s 54kg Round of 16, Preeti Pawar secured a dominant victory against Deborah Mtenje of Malawi, winning by referee stops contest (RSC) to reach the quarter-finals.
However, India also faced a setback in boxing as Aditya Pratap Yadav narrowly lost to Nuhu Batte of Uganda in the men’s 65kg Round of 16 by a 3-2 split decision.
The Indian men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, and Dhakshan Shashikumar, qualified for the final by finishing third in Heat 2. The team recorded a time of 7:39.48, placing behind Australia and England, and ahead of Jersey. They advanced as the sixth-fastest team overall from the combined heats. Later, the same quartet competed in the medal race and finished sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
In other events, India experienced mixed results. 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. Putul Sonowal lost his men’s singles sectional play match against Shaun James Parnis of Malta. Artistic gymnast Tapan Mohanty finished 15th in the men’s all-around final. 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: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, with the boxing contingent maintaining momentum as they head into the quarter-final stage.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
