Rajya Mutupandi wins silver medal at Commonwealth Games after seven years of recovery

Rishikanta Singhambam won a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, becoming the first athlete from India to achieve such an award. He placed second in the men's 60 kg weight division in weightlifting.

New Record and Competition Results

Furthermore, Rishikanta set a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch discipline, successfully lifting 121 kg in the final of the men's 60 kg category. He later achieved a lift of 143 kg in the clean and jerk, reaching a total of 264 kg. Mohammad Anik Kasdan from Malaysia won the gold medal with a total of 273 kg, while Joshua Amung Mboya from Kenya was awarded bronze with a total of 260 kg.

Athlete's Career and Development

Rishikanta's silver medal increased India's total medal count to two, after para-weightlifter Jandu Kumar opened the country's account with a bronze medal on the opening day of the Games.

Born on July 5, 1998, in Imphal West, Manipur, Rishikanta began training in weightlifting at one of India's leading centers. He trained at the National Sports Academy (NSA) in Human Lampak, graduating in 2018, after which he joined the Sports Service Control Board (SSCB).

Path to International Success

The rigorous training environment helped him establish himself at the domestic level, where he consistently showed high results in light categories and made it into the Indian squad. His debut at the Commonwealth Games was at the Birmingham 2022 Games in the men's 55 kg category. Although he did not win a medal, this experience proved invaluable as he competed against some of the best Commonwealth weightlifters.

After the restructuring of international weight categories, he moved to the 60 kg division, where he quickly became India's main contender. His consistent performances at the national level paved the way for more significant international achievements.

Breakthrough on the World Stage

A turning point in Rishikanta's career was the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad. Competing in front of a home crowd, he lifted 120 kg in the snatch and 151 kg in the clean and jerk, setting a national record of 271 kg and winning the gold medal. This result also set Commonwealth Championship records in the clean and jerk and total, securing his spot at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Later that year, Rishikanta participated in the World Weightlifting Championships, where he finished 11th among elite world-class athletes, demonstrating his ability to compete with the best in the sport.

Record Setting

Rishikanta continuously updated Indian records. He set the Indian national record in the men's 61 kg snatch at the 2024 Indian Weightlifting Championships, lifting 124 kg. He then set the Indian national record in the total for men's 60 kg (271 kg) by winning the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, he reached another milestone by lifting 121 kg in the snatch, becoming the first athlete to lift this weight at the Games and setting a new Commonwealth Games record. Despite ultimately receiving a silver medal, this record remains his.

Recognition of the Record

Rishikanta Singh was awarded the Commonwealth Games snatch record for successfully lifting 121 kg, even though his closest competitor and future gold medalist, Mohammad Anik Kasdan from Malaysia, also lifted the same weight in the men's 60 kg competition. The Indian weightlifter was recognized as a record holder because he was the first athlete to successfully lift 121 kg, surpassing the previous Games record of 120 kg.

Although Anik later repeated the 121 kg lift, his effort was registered as an equality with the Commonwealth Games record, not a surpassing of it. According to the rules of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), when multiple athletes lift the same record weight, the record belongs to the first athlete who achieved it, and subsequent ones are recognized as having reached that level.

As a result, Rishikanta retains the official status of Commonwealth Games snatch record holder in the men's 60 kg category with a weight of 121 kg.

Indian athlete Anahita Singh set a new record by winning the Women's Singles title at the World Junior Squash Championship 2026, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.

Final and victory over opponent

In the final, held on July 25th (Saturday), the top-seeded Anahita defeated Ruki Salem from Egypt, who was the second seed. The victory was achieved in three games with scores of 11-3, 11-7, and 11-9.

Historic achievement in Indian squash

This success is particularly significant as no Indian player had previously won the junior squash world championship. Anahita surpassed Josh Chinppu, who had reached the final in 2005, to claim the trophy.

Tournament progression and dominance

In the title match, Anahita demonstrated complete superiority from the start. In the first game, she allowed Salem to score only three points, and in the second game, despite the Egyptian athlete's attempt to come back into the game, the Indian star maintained her composure and held the advantage. The third game was also tense, but Anahita closed out the match in three games with brilliant shots at crucial moments.

Success throughout the competition

Anahita's performance was not limited to the final. Throughout the tournament, she maintained dominance in the game. In six matches, she lost only two games, with the first three matches being won without losing a single game. She began her performance with a victory over Lily Wilson from Australia with a score of 3-0. She then advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating Chloe Lo from Hong Kong and Joyce Ye San Lee from Malaysia in three-game matches.

Victory over Egyptian supremacy

In the playoffs, Anahita Singh faced three players from Egypt consecutively. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Habiba Ridk with a score of 3-1, in the semifinals—Barb Sameh with a score of 3-1, and in the final—Ruki Salem with a score of 3-0, proving that she is the strongest contender for this title.

End of long Egyptian reign

Anahita's victory ended Egypt's long dominance in women's singles junior squash. Since 2011, the title belonged to Egyptian athletes for 13 consecutive tournaments. Furthermore, Anahita became the first non-Egyptian athlete to win the junior world championship after Amanda Sobhi from America in 2010.

Path to the top

Anahita's success was not accidental. Last year at the junior world championship held in Cairo, she won the bronze medal, ending a 15-year wait for India. This result foreshadowed her brilliant future, and this time she fulfilled the dream of a world championship. At the age of 18, Anahita Singh ranked 20th in the adult PSA rankings, making her one of the main hopes for Indian squash.