Bindhyarani Devi Sorokhaibam wins bronze in weightlifting, increasing India's total medal count at CWG 2026

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.

At the upcoming National Games (CWG 2026), India faces the task not only of winning medals but also of maintaining the tradition of being among the top five countries, a streak that has been consistent for the last two decades since the games in Manchester in 2002. However, the current competition format and the absence of some sports strong for India complicate this task.

Format and Scale of CWG 2026

The games, which begin in Glasgow on Thursday, July 23, include only 10 sports. Approximately 3000 athletes from about 74 countries will participate across four sporting venues. This edition was designed to reduce costs, with a budget of around 160 million pounds sterling, which is about 60 percent less than in Birmingham in 2022.

Challenges for the Indian Team

The main obstacle for India is the exclusion of disciplines such as hockey, wrestling, badminton, table tennis, and shooting from the program. These sports accounted for almost half of the 61 medals won by India in Birmingham 2022. Consequently, the entire responsibility now falls on boxing, athletics, and weightlifting.

Expectations from Athletics

India has sent a team of 32 to athletics, which will compete in 22 competitive disciplines. The greatest attention is focused on Niraj Chopra, a two-time Olympic medalist. Nevertheless, the men's javelin throw promises to be difficult: Rumesh Tharanga from Sri Lanka recently made a splash by throwing the implement 92.62 meters, and Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem is also a strong contender for the gold medal, requiring Chopra to be in peak condition.

In addition, India is expected to win medals in high jump by Sarvesh Kushare, long jump by Murili Shrishankar, triple jump by Pravin Chitravel, as well as in the men's and women's 4x400 meter relay.

Merabai Chanu and Weightlifting

Attention is focused on Merabai Chanu, the Olympic silver medalist in weightlifting, in all circles. Merabai has already won gold at two previous national games and intends to take a third consecutive gold. However, India faces a challenge here too: because many weightlifters failed doping tests during the national camp, India will field only 11 athletes, which may limit the potential number of medals.

Boxing as a Strength

Boxing is considered one of India's strongest areas. Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg) will seek her first medal at the National Games. World champion Jasmyn Lamboria (57 kg) will try to turn the bronze won in Birmingham into gold. Strong contenders also include Preeti Pawar (54 kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51 kg), and Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg). In the men's division, medals are expected from Narendra Berwal (+90 kg) and Sachin Siva (60 kg).

Other Disciplines and Schedule

India also hopes for success in Lawn Bowls, Judo, and among para-athletes. In Birmingham 2022, India achieved a historic result in Lawn Bowls, winning gold in the women's team event and silver in the men's. This year, the team aims to repeat this success. The goal in Judo is to surpass the three medals won last time, and Indian para-athletes can make a significant contribution to the medal tally in six para-disciplines.

The National Games are scheduled to start on July 23. The first day will be dedicated to Lawn Bowls, featuring group matches in men's singles and women's doubles. The official opening will take place at 22:30 IST. Starting from July 24, competitions in boxing, gymnastics, para-powerlifting, and swimming will begin. Weightlifting starts on July 26, athletics on July 27, cycling on July 30, and judo on July 31.