Raja Muthupandi Secures Silver in Weightlifting at Commonwealth Games

Raja Muthupandi has won a silver medal in the 65Kg weightlifting category at the Commonwealth Games, falling short of gold against Malaysia's Aznil Bidin. Despite a rocky start, Muthupandi set a new Commonwealth record in the clean and jerk. This achievement adds to India's growing medal tally, which includes notable performances from other athletes like Mirabai Chanu and Rishikanta Singh. With Lovlina Borgohain also securing a spot in the semifinals, India's hopes for more medals remain high.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 27, 2026, 01:41 IST

Raja Muthupandi's Performance

In the 65Kg weightlifting category, India's Raja Muthupandi clinched a silver medal. Although he aimed for gold, he was ultimately surpassed by Malaysia's Aznil Bidin, who took home the gold medal. Muthupandi faced challenges at the beginning, missing his first snatch attempt at 126Kg. He successfully completed his second attempt but fell short on his final lift of 129Kg. However, he rebounded strongly in the clean and jerk segment. After failing his initial attempt at 160Kg, he succeeded on his second try, setting a new Commonwealth Games record. Despite this achievement, Bidin lifted 162Kg to secure the lead. With Papua New Guinea's Morea Baru unable to lift 162Kg, Muthupandi was assured of at least a silver medal, but he was still vying for gold. After Bidin set a new record with a lift of 166Kg, Muthupandi attempted 170Kg but was unable to complete it, ultimately settling for silver as Bidin defended his title.

India's Rising Medals Count

India's medal tally has significantly increased following the impressive performances of its weightlifters. Jhandu Kumar earned the first medal for India, a bronze in para powerlifting. Earlier, Rishikanta Singh secured a silver medal in the Men's 60Kg final, and Mirabai Chanu defended her title, winning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. Muthupandi's silver marked India's fourth medal in total, which includes one gold, two silvers, and one bronze. Additionally, boxer Lovlina Borgohain has guaranteed herself a medal by reaching the semifinals after receiving a bye in the quarterfinals, thus securing at least a bronze. India had previously won 61 medals in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, including 22 golds, but this year's tally may decrease due to the removal of several key events that were expected to yield medals.