New Delhi, July 28 -- Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu delivered a strong debut performance to claim the silver medal in the men's 79kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Tuesday. The 22-year-old from Andhra Pradesh finished with a total of 330kg, just one kilogram behind Malaysia's Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who set a Games record of 331kg for gold.

The competition took place at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow and turned into a tense battle between the young Indian and his Malaysian rival.

The clean and jerk section produced the real drama. Ajaya Babu produced a solid 183kg lift to reach a total of 330kg and briefly take the lead. Erry Hidayat responded under pressure, first with 177kg and then 181kg, before s...