Vizianagaram weightlifter Ajaya Babu clinches silver at Commonwealth Games
Ajaya Babu’s Commonwealth Games Performance
Valluri Ajaya Babu, a weightlifter from Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, secured a silver medal in the men’s 79kg category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His performance included a Games record in the snatch event. This achievement marks India’s sixth medal in weightlifting at the current Commonwealth Games.
During the competition, Ajaya Babu achieved a best snatch lift of 149kg and a clean and jerk of 181kg, culminating in a total lift of 330kg. He narrowly missed the gold medal by just 1kg to Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who recorded a total of 331kg. England’s Chris Murray earned the bronze medal with a total of 325kg.
The competition for the gold medal was intense. Ajaya Babu began the snatch section with a successful lift of 145kg, which initially set a Games record. He later improved this to 149kg in his final attempt, re-establishing the Games record for snatch. After the snatch section, Ajaya Babu was in the lead, followed by Chris Murray with 148kg and Erry Hidayat Muhammad with 147kg.
However, the clean and jerk section saw a shift in the standings. Erry Hidayat Muhammad took the lead with a lift of 177kg in his first attempt, while Ajaya Babu lifted 174kg. Erry then lifted 181kg, and Ajaya Babu completed a lift of 178kg. In his final attempt, Ajaya Babu lifted 181kg, but Erry Hidayat Muhammad successfully lifted 184kg, securing the gold medal by a narrow margin.
A Family Legacy in Weightlifting
Ajaya Babu’s silver medal performance surpasses his father, Valluri Srinivasa Rao’s, previous achievement at the Commonwealth Games. Srinivasa Rao, a multiple-time national champion in weightlifting, won a bronze medal in the 56kg category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He had aimed for gold in 2010 but suffered a hamstring injury a month before the event, which impacted his performance.
The village of Kondavelagada in Vizianagaram district, where the Valluri family resides, has a notable history in weightlifting. With a population of approximately 3,000, the village has produced around 20 international and 40 national weightlifters, with Srinivasa Rao being a pioneering figure. Despite his father’s initial suggestion for him to pursue badminton, Ajaya Babu, along with his younger brother Akhil, developed an interest in weightlifting, inspired by their father’s dedication to the sport.
Path to Glasgow 2026
Ajaya Babu’s journey to the 2026 Commonwealth Games included several significant performances. He had previously won a gold medal in the men’s 79kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad. During this event, he achieved a personal-best total lift of 335kg, comprising a 152kg snatch and a 183kg clean and jerk, setting new championship records. This performance secured his direct qualification for the Glasgow 2026 Games.
Prior to that, in the 2024 Commonwealth Championships held in Suva, Fiji, Ajaya Babu earned double gold medals in both the junior and senior divisions of the men’s 81kg category. Following these successes, he placed 16th overall among 39 lifters at the 2025 World Championships in Forde, Norway. His silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games adds to his growing list of achievements in the sport.
Source: newindianexpress.com
