Chanambam Rishikanta Singh Secures Silver Medal at 2026 Commonwealth Games

Rishikanta's Triumph in Glasgow

Indian weightlifter Chanambam Rishikanta Singh expressed his joy after clinching the silver medal in the men's 60kg category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow on Sunday. He extended his gratitude to the Indian Weightlifting Federation, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and all those who supported him, promising to continue his hard work to earn more medals for India. This silver medal is India's first at the current Games and the second overall, following para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar's earlier bronze.

In an interview, Rishikanta shared his happiness about the achievement, thanking the Indian Weightlifting Federation and the Sports Minister for their significant support, which he credited for his success. "I am very happy. I want to express my gratitude to the Indian Weightlifting Federation and the Sports Minister; everyone provided immense support for the sport, enabling us to bring home this medal today. I am very happy and want to give credit to everyone involved," he stated.

Event Highlights

Rishikanta achieved a total lift of 264kg, comprising 121kg in the snatch and 143kg in the clean and jerk. The gold medal was secured by Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan, who set a Commonwealth Games record with a total of 273kg (121kg snatch + 152kg clean and jerk). Kenya's Joshua Mboya earned the bronze with a total of 260kg (115kg + 145kg).

Detailed Lift Breakdown

Rishikanta started strong in the snatch, successfully lifting 116kg, then 119kg, and finally breaking the Commonwealth Games snatch record with a lift of 121kg. Kasdan matched this effort shortly after, resulting in a tie at the top after the snatch round.

In the clean and jerk, Rishikanta opened with a successful lift of 143kg, temporarily taking the lead with a total of 264kg. Kasdan responded by lifting 145kg and then 149kg, moving ahead with a total of 270kg. Rishikanta needed to lift 151kg on his final attempt to regain the lead but was unable to complete the jerk, concluding his challenge for gold. Kasdan finished with a final lift of 152kg, solidifying his Games record total.

Looking Ahead

Despite his record-breaking snatch, Rishikanta expressed disappointment regarding his clean and jerk performance, attributing it to a knee issue. He remains optimistic about his future, aiming for a medal at the 2026 Asian Games. "I am not too satisfied because it did not go as good as I trained for in the clean and jerk, though the snatch went quite well; I actually set a record in the snatch but struggled a bit with the clean and jerk due to a knee issue. I am confident I will bring home medals in future competitions. I will aim to win a medal at the Asian Games. I will give it my absolute best," he concluded.