Indian athlete Bindhyarani Devi Sorokhaibam added another award to her country's growing medal tally at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow by winning a bronze medal in the women's 58 kg category on Monday.
Competition Results
The 27-year-old athlete from Manipur lifted a total of 199 kg, splitting this result into 87 kg in the snatch and 112 kg in the clean and jerk. Thanks to this, she secured third place, behind Nigerian Rafiatu Folashade Laval (229 kg) and Canadian Anne-Sophie Tashero (215 kg).
This bronze medal is India's fifth medal in weightlifting and the sixth medal for the country overall at the Games. Previously, Bindhyarani had already been a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, earning silver in the women's 55 kg category at the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Bindhyarani Devi's Career
Bindhyarani Devi Sorokhaibam was born on January 27, 1999, in Imphal West, Manipur, and is one of India's most prominent female weightlifters. She attracted public attention after winning gold at the World Weightlifting Championships in Apia in 2019, after which she became a regular medalist for India in major international competitions.
Initially competing in the 55 kg category, Bindhyarani later moved to the 58 kg division following the restructuring of international weight categories. This transition was interrupted by a serious knee injury in 2023, but she returned in stronger form and established herself as one of India's leading medal contenders.
International Achievements
Bindhyarani's rise has been marked by consistent success in various international tournaments. She won gold at the 2019 South Asian Games, and then secured another gold at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships. In 2021, she received a silver medal at the World Championships, and later made history at the World Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Bindhyarani won silver in the women's 55 kg category with a total lift of 202 kg (86 kg in the snatch + 116 kg in the clean and jerk), establishing herself as a leading Indian heavyweight. She later moved to the women's 58 kg category and won silver at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad with a career-best total of 206 kg (91 kg in the snatch + 115 kg in the clean and jerk).
World Clean and Jerk Title
Bindhyarani's most significant international breakthrough occurred at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships, where she won gold in the clean and jerk with a lift of 114 kg in the women's 55 kg category. Following this achievement, she won silver at the 2023 Asian Championships and then bronze in the overall standings at the IWF World Cup in Phuket in 2024. At this World Cup, she also placed second in the clean and jerk, highlighting her strength in this discipline.
Path to Bronze at CWG 2026
Before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Bindhyarani was considered one of India's top candidates for medals in the women's 58 kg category. She started confidently, successfully lifting 83 kg, 85 kg, and 87 kg in the snatch to secure third place after the first round. Then, the Manipuri athlete cleared 110 kg in her first clean and jerk attempt, and subsequently successfully lifted 112 kg in her second attempt. On the final attempt, she failed to lift 116 kg, resulting in a clean and jerk total of 112 kg and an overall total of 199 kg, enough for a bronze medal.
Nigerian Rafiatu Folashade Laval dominated the competition, achieving a record 220 kg with 103 kg in the snatch and 117 kg in the clean and jerk. Canadian Anne-Sophie Tashero won silver with a total of 209 kg, while Bindhyarani finished comfortably ahead of English Eliza Pratt, who scored 196 kg.
India's Total Medal Count
The bronze medal won by Bindhyarani Devi led to India's total medal count at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow reaching six. The Indian delegation now holds one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, with weightlifting contributing five of these six awards.
