India Shines on Day 4 of Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow

The Commonwealth Games 2026, being held in Glasgow, Scotland, witnessed a spectacular Day 4 on Monday, July 27, with Indian athletes delivering a series of commendable performances and adding significantly to the nation's medal tally. India concluded the day with an impressive haul of five medals – one gold, three silver, and one bronze – across various disciplines, notably para-athletics, weightlifting, and athletics. A historic moment unfolded in para-athletics as Sharmila Dhankar clinched a gold medal in the women's shot put F57 event. Her season-best throw of 9.81m not only secured the top spot but also marked India's first para-athletics gold medal and the first para-athletics medal in 20 years at the Commonwealth Games. Dhankar, a 40-year-old athlete from Mahendragarh, Haryana, overcame significant personal and financial challenges to achieve this feat, making her victory even more inspiring. Her compatriot, Shilpa K Shyla, initially finished fourth in the same event but was later upgraded to a bronze medal. This dramatic turn of events occurred after Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi's lone valid throw was disqualified following an official protest and review, moving Shilpa to the third position. Weightlifting continued to be a strong suit for India, contributing three more medals on Day 4. Gyaneshwari Yadav delivered a stellar performance in the women's 53kg category, securing a silver medal. The 23-year-old from Chhattisgarh achieved a personal best total lift of 199kg, comprising 88kg in the snatch and an impressive 111kg in the clean and jerk. Her clean and jerk lift briefly set a Games and Commonwealth record before being surpassed by Nigeria's Didih Onome Omolola, who took gold. Adding to India's weightlifting success, Bindyarani Devi claimed a bronze medal in the women's 58kg final. This marks her second Commonwealth Games medal, having previously won silver at Birmingham 2022. Bindyarani achieved a total lift of 199kg, with 87kg in the snatch and 112kg in the clean and jerk. Valluri Ajaya Babu also made his mark in weightlifting, clinching a silver medal in the men's 79kg category. He finished with a total lift of 330kg, narrowly missing the gold by just 1kg to Malaysia's Erry Hidayat Muhammad. Ajaya Babu's silver carried extra significance as he followed in the footsteps of his father, Valluri Srinivasa Rao, who won a bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In athletics, Sarvesh Anil Kushare created history by becoming the first Indian male to win a silver medal in the men's high jump at the Commonwealth Games. Kushare cleared a height of 2.25m, a remarkable achievement that added another silver to India's tally. His compatriot and national record holder, Tejaswin Shankar, unfortunately, had to withdraw from the men's high jump final due to a suspected knee injury after failing his first attempt at 2.05m. Shankar, a bronze medallist from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, stayed on to support Kushare, showcasing great sportsmanship. Other notable performances on Day 4 included Murali Sreeshankar and Lokesh Sathyanathan qualifying for the men's long jump final. Tejas Shirse advanced to the men's 110m hurdles final but finished eighth. In boxing, Sakshi Chaudhary marched into the women's 51kg quarter-finals with a dominant win. India's 3x3 wheelchair basketball team bowed out after a defeat to Nigeria. Swatik Patel finished fifth in the men's 100m breaststroke SB9 final in para swimming. Overall, Day 4 proved to be highly productive for the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games 2026, held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. The athletes demonstrated exceptional talent and determination, bringing pride to the nation with their medal-winning performances and setting new benchmarks in various sports. The strong showing across weightlifting, para-athletics, and athletics underscores India's growing prominence in the international sporting arena.

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