Glasgow: Mirabai Chanu secures golden hat-trick as India claims three weightlifting medals
India experienced its most successful day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, accumulating one gold and two silver medals. This brings the country’s total medal count to four, while 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. In weightlifting, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi each secured silver medals. In other events, Jadumani Singh advanced to the boxing quarter-finals, Preeti Pawar also progressed with a stoppage win, and the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team competed in the final.
Chanu’s Record-Breaking Performance
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu reaffirmed her status as a prominent Indian weightlifter by winning the gold medal in the women’s 48kg category. The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist overcame an initial unsuccessful attempt to deliver a dominant performance, achieving a combined lift of 190kg. She established a new Commonwealth Games record of 85kg in the snatch, followed by a 105kg lift in the clean and jerk, 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’s performance included setting new Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records in the snatch, and new CWG marks in both the clean and jerk and total lift. Her total lift of 190kg was significantly higher than the silver medallist, Ruth Asuquo Nyong of Nigeria, who finished with 168kg.
Additional Weightlifting Success and Boxing Progress
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam earned a silver medal in the men’s 60kg event. The lifter successfully cleared 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, concluding with a total lift of 264kg. Muhammad Anik bin Kasdan of Malaysia secured gold with a Games-record total of 273kg, while Joshua Amunga Buoya of Kenya took bronze with 260kg.
Raja Muthupandi contributed to India’s three weightlifting medals for the day by winning silver in the men’s 65kg category. The lifter recorded 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, resulting in a combined total of 286kg. Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin claimed gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, and Morea Baru of Papua New Guinea earned bronze with 282kg. This silver medal marks a return to the Commonwealth Games podium for Muthupandi, who finished sixth in 2018 and missed Birmingham 2022 due to injury.
India’s boxers also had a productive day. Jadumani Singh Mandengbam defeated Sumama Rehman of Pakistan by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the men’s 55kg Round of 16, advancing to the quarter-finals. Preeti Pawar secured her place in the women’s 54kg quarter-finals by defeating Deborah Mtenje of Malawi via referee stops contest (RSC). However, Aditya Pratap Yadav experienced a setback, losing to Nuhu Batte of Uganda by a 3-2 split decision in the men’s 65kg Round of 16.
Swimming and Other Sports
The Indian men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, and Dhakshan Shashikumar, qualified for the final after 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, finishing sixth in the Commonwealth Games final.
In lawn bowls, India faced a challenging day. 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 men’s singles, Putul Sonowal lost his 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 at the Games: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze, with the boxing contingent building momentum for the quarter-final stage.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
