Glasgow 2026: India secures first para-athletics gold, weightlifter Nirupama Devi out of medal contention
Historic Gold for India in Para-Athletics
Sharmila Dhankar has made history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, securing India’s first-ever gold medal in para-athletics. Competing in the women’s Shot Put F57 event, Dhankar achieved a season-best throw of 9.81 metres. This victory marks the end of India’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Dhankar’s teammate, Shilpa K Shyla, also earned a bronze medal in the same event, contributing to a rare double-podium finish for India. The F57 category is designated for athletes with lower limb impairments or reduced muscle power.
Born in Haryana in 1986, Dhankar contracted polio at the age of two, which affected her left leg. Her journey to gold involved overcoming personal challenges and financial difficulties. She began competing at 33 and won gold in her debut at the 2021 Para National Championships. Dhankar also participated in the 2022 Birmingham Para Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, where she finished fourth in both tournaments.
Following her win, Dhankar expressed her desire to buy a new house and aims to compete in the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Her achievement has been recognised by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
Weightlifting and Swimming Updates
In weightlifting, India’s Nirupama Devi Seram concluded her participation in the Women’s 63kg final without registering a total mark. After lifting 93kg in the snatch round, placing her fifth, she was unable to complete any of her clean and jerk attempts at 123kg. This meant she did not register a successful lift in the clean and jerk round, removing her from medal contention.
The snatch round saw Canada’s Maude Charron lead the field with a Commonwealth Games record lift of 102kg. Nauru’s Femily-Crystie Notte followed with 100kg, and Australia’s Kiana Rose Elliott was third with a 99kg snatch.
In athletics, Vishal TK advanced to the semifinals of the 400m event, finishing second in Heat 6 with a time of 46.49 seconds. However, Rajesh Ramesh, who clocked 47.43 seconds in Heat 3, did not secure a semifinal spot.
India’s para swimmers also saw success, with both participants qualifying for the Men’s 50m Freestyle S13 final. RVVBK Budigina finished third in Heat 1 with 26.33 seconds, and Ali Imam placed fifth in Heat 2 with 28.41 seconds.
In other swimming events, Srihari Nataraj secured a place in the men’s 100m backstroke semifinals, finishing fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 55.58 seconds. Conversely, Sajan Prakash did not qualify for the semifinals in the men’s 50m butterfly, finishing last in Heat 9 with 24.94 seconds, placing him 28th overall among 70 swimmers.
India’s boxing contingent has five quarterfinal contests scheduled, with Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, Parveen Hooda, Jadumani Singh, and Kapil Pokhariya all competing for a place in the semifinals and a guaranteed bronze medal.
India’s Medal Tally and Upcoming Events
Following a six-medal haul on Monday, India aims to continue its momentum at the Commonwealth Games. The country’s medal tally currently stands at 10, comprising two gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, placing India eighth in the medal table as of July 28, 2026.
Weightlifting has been India’s most successful discipline so far, contributing six medals to the total. After Nirupama Devi Seram’s event, Harjinder Kaur is scheduled to compete in the Women’s 69kg final at 11:00 PM IST, hoping to add to India’s medal count.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026, featuring athletes from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
