Glasgow, July 27 -- India's campaign gathered momentum on Monday with weightlifters Gyaneshwari Yadav and Bindyarani Devi adding a silver and a bronze respectively, while the country's athletes, boxers and swimmers booked places in the finals and quarterfinals to keep medal hopes alive at the Commonwealth Games.
Gyaneshwari produced the performance of her career to finish second in the women's 53kg event, lifting a personal best total of 199kg through 88kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk. The 23-year-old was locked in an intense battle with Nigeria's Onome Omolola Didih, who won gold with a Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games record total of 206kg after lifting 93kg in snatch and 113kg in clean and jerk.
The contest reached its peak in the clean and jerk, where Gyaneshwari briefly set a new Commonwealth Games record with her 111kg lift before Didih responded with a title-winning 113kg effort. The Indian matched her personal best in snatch and improved her best marks in both clean and jerk and overall total.
The silver was India's fourth medal in weightlifting and fifth overall at the Games. It also capped an inspiring journey for Gyaneshwari, a former powerlifter whose father, an electrician, backed her sporting ambitions despite financial hardship. Inspired by Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, Gyaneshwari had set out to achieve personal bests in Glasgow and returned with both improved numbers and a Commonwealth Games silver.
India added another podium finish later in the evening when Bindyarani Devi claimed bronze in the women's 58kg category. The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver medallist finished with a total of 199kg, lifting 87kg in snatch and 112kg in clean and jerk. Two unsuccessful attempts in the clean and jerk prevented her from climbing higher on the podium as Nigeria's Rafiatu Folashade Lawal secured gold with a record-breaking performance.
On the athletics track, M Sreeshankar comfortably advanced to the men's long jump final after clearing the automatic qualification mark of 8m with an opening leap of 8.01m. Returning after a career-threatening patellar tendon injury that forced him to miss the Paris Olympics, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist was the only athlete in Group A to qualify automatically.
"It was tricky conditions for everyone. It was cold, windy and there was rain in between, but I managed to qualify with my first jump. I am very excited for the final," Sreeshankar said after the event.
Compatriot Lokesh Sathyanathan also progressed, with his best effort of 7.77m earning him a place among the top 12 qualifiers across both groups.
India's boxing team also enjoyed a successful outing as former world youth champion Sachin Siwach and Commonwealth Games debutant Ankush reached the quarterfinals, moving one win away from assured medals. Sachin defeated England's William Hewitt 4-1 in the men's 60kg bout despite a point deduction in the final round and will next face Botswana's Treasure Moremi. Ankush dominated Antigua and Barbuda's Jan Zalaan 5-0 in the men's 80kg category to book his place in the last eight.
There was disappointment in the men's 100m, where national record holder Gurindervir Singh failed to advance beyond the heats. The 25-year-old clocked 10.39 seconds to finish second in his heat behind Jamaica's Rohan Watson but ended up 28th overall, falling short of the qualification spots. Gurindervir had entered the Games after setting the national record of 10.09 seconds earlier this year and was aiming to become the first Indian to break the 10-second barrier.
In swimming, two-time Olympian Sajan Prakash qualified for the men's 200m butterfly final after clocking 1:58.59 to finish second in his heat behind Scotland's Duncan Scott (1:58.29), making the cut as the sixth fastest overall. Aryan Nehra also reached the men's 800m freestyle final, while para swimmer Swatik Patel advanced to the men's 100m backstroke SB9 final, ensuring India remained in contention across multiple disciplines.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.