Indian Weightlifter Rishikanta Singh Secures Silver at Commonwealth Games 2026

Celebrating Rishikanta's Achievement

The President of the Indian Olympic Association, PT Usha, extended her congratulations to Chanambam Rishikanta Singh for clinching the silver medal in the men's 60kg weightlifting category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow on Sunday. This achievement marks India's first medal at these Games, following a bronze medal won by para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar earlier.

In a message shared on X, PT Usha praised Rishikanta for his remarkable performance, which included a record-setting snatch of 121kg. She expressed her pride in his accomplishment, stating, "Our second medal at Glasgow. Many congratulations to Rishikanta Singh on the silver medal win. A Commonwealth Games record in snatch to go with it. The country is proud of the incredible effort he put in to win us a medal! Best wishes to him for all future events."

Rishikanta's Journey to Silver

Rishikanta achieved a total lift of 264kg (121kg in snatch and 143kg in clean and jerk), while Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan secured the gold with a total of 273kg (121kg snatch and 152kg clean and jerk). Kenya's Joshua Mboya earned the bronze with a total of 260kg (115kg snatch and 145kg clean and jerk), as reported by ESPN.

Breaking Records in Snatch

Rishikanta began his snatch attempts strongly, successfully lifting 116kg and then 119kg. He then broke the Commonwealth Games snatch record with a lift of 121kg, achieving a new personal best. Kasdan matched this lift shortly after, resulting in both lifters being tied at the top after the snatch round.

The Clean and Jerk Challenge

In the clean and jerk segment, Rishikanta opened with a successful lift of 143kg, temporarily placing him in the lead with a total of 264kg. Kasdan responded by lifting 145kg and then 149kg, surpassing Rishikanta with a total of 270kg, thereby increasing the pressure on the Indian lifter.

To regain the lead, Rishikanta needed to lift 151kg on his final attempt. Although he completed the clean, he was unable to secure the jerk, which ended his pursuit of gold. Kasdan concluded his impressive performance by lifting 152kg in his last clean and jerk attempt, achieving a Games record total of 273kg.