Online Sports Desk
India secured its fifth medal at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2026 after Gyaneshwari Yadav settled for a silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event in Glasgow. She lifted a total of 199 kg (88 kg Snatch + 111 kg in Clean & Jerk).
Incidentally, Gyaneshwari’s medal was India’s fourth in weightlifting after Rishikanta Singh (silver in men’s 60kg), Mirabai Chanu (gold in women’s 48kg) and Muthupandi Raja (silver in men’s 65kg). India’s para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar opened India’s medal tally with a bronze.
Onome Omolola Didih of Nigeria won the gold with a Commonwealth and Games record total lift of 206kg (93kg snatch 113kg clean and jerk). Rebeka Groulx of Canada took the bronze with a total lift of 178kg.
A composed individual, Gyaneshwari opened her event with an easy 82kg lift in her first attempt in snatch. She matched Didih with a 85kg lift on her second before completing the snatch category with an impressive 88kg lift in her third attempt. This actually strengthened her medal hopes.
However, Didih went over the bar to clear 93kg in her final snatch attempt to set a new Commonwealth record and take the lead.
In clean and jerk, it was a battle between Gyaneshwari and Didih. The Indian set a Commonwealth record with a lift of 103kg on her opening clean and jerk attempt. But Didih responded in style by clearing 105kg, thus reclaiming the lead. But Gyaneshwari didn’t hold back.
She responded with a superb 107kg lift in her second attempt to move to the gold-medal position, rewriting the record books once again in the process. The Nigerian once again responded with a 110kg lift in her second attempt.
Gyaneshwari refused to surrender. Egged on by Indian supporters, she dug deep to hoist 111kg, reclaiming the Games record. The lead, though, lasted barely a minute. Didih coolly called for 113kg, completed the lift and once again and sent the record books into revision, sealing the gold in the process.
