India has claimed its fifth medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, and this one comes with a record. Twenty two year old weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav won the silver medal in the women's 53kg category with a total lift of 199kg.
How the medal came together
Gyaneshwari lifted 88kg in the snatch round and followed it up with a 111kg lift in the clean and jerk. What made the effort remarkable was that the 111kg lift came in her final and most crucial attempt of the competition. That single lift not only sealed her silver medal but also set a new Indian national record in both the clean and jerk and the total weight categories, meaning she delivered her best performance under the highest pressure of the event.
Gold went to Nigeria
The gold medal in this weight category went to Nigeria. Gyaneshwari's silver carries extra weight because in a sport decided by kilograms, pulling off a record breaking lift on the final attempt is far from easy.
India's fifth medal of the Games
This is India's fifth medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Reports ahead of the Games had flagged a handful of Indian athletes expected to shine in Glasgow, and this record breaking silver in weightlifting appears to be living up to that expectation.
A big day for India
On the fifth day of the Commonwealth Games, a total of 9 gold medals are up for grabs, four in athletics, three in weightlifting, and one each in gymnastics and swimming. According to reports, India has a shot at around 10 medals on the day, with its athletics campaign also underway.
The setback of dropped sports
Before the Games began, India had already suffered a setback when six sports, including wrestling and badminton, were dropped from the Commonwealth Games program, putting nearly 30 of India's potential medal chances at risk according to reports. Against that backdrop, a record setting performance from a young athlete like Gyaneshwari adds extra significance to India's medal tally.
