Vishal TK and Srihari Nataraj Shine at 2026 Commonwealth Games

At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Indian athletes Vishal TK and Srihari Nataraj made headlines by advancing to the semifinals in their respective events. Vishal excelled in the men's 400m, clocking 46.49 seconds, while Srihari secured his spot in the men's 50m freestyle. Despite some setbacks for other competitors, including Rajesh Ramesh and Sajan Prakash, India's para swimmers also shone with Karthik Budigina and Ali Imam qualifying for their finals. As the Games progress, India aims for more medals in athletics and swimming.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 28, 2026, 19:48 IST

Athletics Highlights

At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India's Vishal TK advanced to the semifinals of the men's 400m event on Tuesday, showcasing a remarkable performance in the heats. He clocked an impressive 46.49 seconds, securing second place in his heat and surpassing the qualification threshold of 46.62 seconds. Earlier this year, Vishal made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to break the 45-second barrier in the men's 400m, and he continued his stellar form to earn a spot in the semifinals. Overall, he ranked as the 14th-fastest qualifier, with only himself and Jamaica's Amal Glasgow moving forward from his heat.

Men's 400m Update

Rajesh Ramesh narrowly missed qualifying for the semifinals in the men's 400m, finishing his heat in 47.43 seconds. Initially, he was in 12th place overall, but after five athletes outpaced him in subsequent heats, he dropped to 17th, concluding his competition.

Swimming Achievements

In swimming, Srihari Nataraj progressed to the semifinals of the men's 50m freestyle, finishing fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 55.58 seconds. Although he was 1.46 seconds behind the heat winner, Pieter Coetze, his performance was sufficient for qualification.

Conversely, Sajan Prakash did not advance in the men's 50m butterfly, finishing last in his heat with a time of 24.94 seconds, placing him 28th overall among 70 competitors. He needed to achieve a time faster than 24.25 seconds to qualify for the top 16.

Para Swimming Success

India also celebrated achievements in para swimming, with Karthik Budigina and Ali Imam qualifying for the men's 50m freestyle S13 final. Budigina recorded a time of 26.33 seconds, finishing as the sixth-fastest in the heats, while Imam secured the eighth position with a time of 28.41 seconds, both earning their places in the medal race.

Looking Ahead

With Vishal and Srihari advancing, India is poised to continue its pursuit of medals in athletics and swimming as the Commonwealth Games unfold in Glasgow.