Glasgow, July 27: India’s impressive run in weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games continued on Monday as Gyaneshwari Yadav produced a spirited performance to win the silver medal in the women’s 53kg category after an enthralling contest with Nigeria’s Onome Omolola Didih.
The 23-year-old from Chhattisgarh finished with a personal-best total of 199kg, lifting 88kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. Her clean and jerk effort was also a personal best, earning India another podium finish in one of its strongest disciplines.
Didih, however, proved unstoppable as she clinched the gold with a total lift of 206kg (93kg snatch and 113kg clean and jerk), rewriting both the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records in the process. Canada’s Rebeka Groulx claimed the bronze with an overall lift of 178kg.
The final turned into one of the most captivating weightlifting contests of the Games, with records tumbling repeatedly as Yadav and Didih pushed each other to the limit.
Yadav opened strongly in the snatch, completing all three attempts with remarkable composure to stay within striking distance of the Nigerian. The clean and jerk then developed into a dramatic battle for supremacy.
The Indian briefly seized the spotlight by successfully lifting 107kg, setting a new Commonwealth Games record. Moments later, Didih responded with 110kg to reclaim the mark.Refusing to back down, Yadav answered with a superb 111kg lift, once again rewriting the Games record amid loud cheers from Indian supporters inside the arena.
Her lead, however, was short-lived. Didih called for 113kg, executed the lift flawlessly and restored her advantage, simultaneously equalling the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games clean and jerk record to secure the gold medal.
South Africa’s Johanni Taljaard finished fourth with a total of 175kg, while Solomon Islands’ Jenly Tegu Wini placed fifth on 172kg.
Yadav’s silver further strengthened India’s medal tally in Glasgow and reinforced the country’s dominance in Commonwealth weightlifting. She became the third Indian weightlifter to reach the podium at these Games after Mirabai Chanu, who won gold, and Raja Muthupandi, who secured silver.The medal was also India’s fourth in weightlifting and fifth overall at the Games.Hailing from Bhondiya village in Chhattisgarh, Yadav took up weightlifting at a young age and progressed through the state’s sports development programme before earning a place in the national team. She trains at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, under the national coaching programme and has represented India at the Commonwealth, Asian and World Weightlifting Championships.
Her latest achievement underlines her steady rise on the international stage and adds another chapter to India’s growing success in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games. (PTI)
