Glasgow 2026: India’s Nirupama Devi Seram misses weightlifting medal, para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar secures historic gold
Weightlifting and Athletics Updates
India’s Nirupama Devi Seram competed in the Women’s 63kg final in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. She finished the snatch round in fifth place with a best lift of 93kg. However, Nirupama was unable to register a successful lift in the clean and jerk round, failing all three attempts at 123kg. This meant she concluded the competition without a total mark and did not secure a medal.
In the same event, Canada’s Maude Charron set a Commonwealth Games record by lifting 102kg in the snatch round, leading the field. Nauru’s Femily-Crystie Notte followed with 100kg, and Australia’s Kiana Rose Elliott was third with a 99kg snatch.
Meanwhile, Sharmila Dhankar made history for India by winning the country’s first para-athletics gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. The 40-year-old athlete competed in the women’s Shot Put F57 event, achieving a season-best throw of 9.81 metres. Her teammate, Shilpa K Shyla, also secured a bronze medal in the same event, marking a rare double-podium finish for India.
Swimming and Boxing Performances
In swimming, Vishal TK advanced to the semifinals in the 400m after placing second in Heat 6 with a time of 46.49 seconds. Rajesh Ramesh, however, did not qualify for the semifinals despite clocking 47.43 seconds in Heat 3.
India also saw success in para swimming, with both RVVBK Budigina and Ali Imam qualifying for the Men’s 50m Freestyle S13 final. Budigina finished third in Heat 1 with a time of 26.33 seconds, while Imam secured his spot by finishing fifth in Heat 2 with 28.41 seconds.
Srihari Nataraj comfortably qualified for the men’s 100m backstroke semifinals, finishing fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 55.58 seconds. However, Sajan Prakash exited the men’s 50m butterfly event after failing to qualify for the semifinals. He finished last in Heat 9 with a time of 24.94 seconds, placing 28th overall among 70 swimmers.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, runs from July 23 to August 2, 2026, featuring athletes from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories. India is participating with a 191-member contingent, including 126 athletes and 65 officials.
India’s boxing contingent is also active, with five quarterfinal contests scheduled. Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, Parveen Hooda, Jadumani Singh, and Kapil Pokhariya are all competing for a spot in the semifinals, which would guarantee at least a bronze medal.
As of July 28, 2026, India holds the 8th position in the medal table with a total of 10 medals, comprising 2 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
Sharmila Dhankar’s achievement in para-athletics ended India’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics medal at the Commonwealth Games. The previous medal in this category was won by Ranjith Kumar Jayaseelan in the men’s seated discus throw event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Her journey to gold involved overcoming personal challenges. Born in Haryana’s Chitrauli village in 1986, she contracted polio at the age of two, which affected her left leg. After a difficult first marriage, she remarried Ajit Singh in 2018, who encouraged her to pursue para sports. She trained under Paralympian-coach Tek Chand and won a gold medal in her debut at the 2021 Para National Championships. She also competed in the 2022 Birmingham Para Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, finishing fourth in both tournaments.
Following her historic win, Sharmila Dhankar received praise from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She has expressed her desire to buy a new house and is now focused on the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) organises the event, continuing a tradition that began in 1930. Glasgow 2026 includes indoor bowls for both able-bodied and para competitions, alongside traditional elements like the Queen’s Baton Relay, opening, and closing ceremonies. Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
India’s medal hopes continue with Harjinder Kaur set to compete in the Women’s 69kg final in weightlifting at 11:00 PM IST.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
