Soman Rana Shines with Gold in Men's F57 Shot Put at Commonwealth Games 2026

Historic Win for India in Para Athletics

Indian athlete Soman Rana expressed his overwhelming happiness after securing the gold medal in the men's F57 shot put event, emphasizing the honor of representing India on a significant international platform. Originating from Gaya, Bihar, and serving in the 28 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army, he acknowledged the vital support from his family, the Army, his coach Rakesh Prasad, and the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru, which contributed to his success.

On Saturday, India marked a remarkable milestone in para athletics at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with Soman Rana winning gold and Shubham Juyal taking silver in the men's F57 shot put final. This achievement marks India's first gold medal and the country's inaugural double podium finish in this event. In a thrilling contest between the two Indian athletes, Soman delivered an impressive throw of 13.40m, narrowly defeating Shubham, who recorded a throw of 13.28m.

'Thrilled to Achieve Gold'

"Winning this gold medal feels incredible. I am thrilled to represent India on such a prestigious platform... Coming from Gaya, Bihar, and serving in the Indian Army's 28 Gorkha Rifles, I owe my success to the unwavering support from my family, the Army, my coach Rakesh Prasad, and SAI Bengaluru, where I trained prior to this competition," Rana shared.

Juyal Celebrates Silver Medal

Shubham Juyal regarded his silver medal as a significant accomplishment, reflecting on how he never envisioned competing at such a high level four years ago. He mentioned that he felt minimal pressure during the competition, with the only challenge being the unpredictable weather conditions.

"Four years ago, I could never have imagined participating in the Commonwealth Games. Winning a silver medal is a tremendous achievement for me... I didn't feel much pressure; the only concern was the weather, which had been quite variable. It was sunny for two days, but the temperature dropped significantly during our event today," Juyal explained.