Valluri Ajaya Babu Secures Silver in Weightlifting at Commonwealth Games 2026

Ajaya's Remarkable Performance

In a thrilling showdown at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Valluri Ajaya Babu from India showcased his exceptional skills by winning a silver medal in the men's 79kg weightlifting category. Competing on Monday (local time), the 22-year-old from Kondavelagada village in Andhra Pradesh lifted a total of 330kg, narrowly missing the gold by just one kilogram to Malaysia's Muhammad Erry Hidayat, who achieved a total of 331kg, including a record-setting clean and jerk lift of 184kg.

Medal Standings

Scotland's Chris Murray secured the bronze medal with a total lift of 325kg (148kg in snatch and 177kg in clean and jerk), as reported by ESPN. Ajaya kicked off the competition with a remarkable Commonwealth Games record of 149kg in the snatch, positioning himself well for a potential gold medal. However, Hidayat's impressive performance in the clean and jerk ultimately clinched him the title.

A Legacy of Excellence

This silver medal is a significant achievement for Ajaya and his family, as his father previously won a bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. By earning silver in Glasgow, Ajaya has continued the proud legacy of his family and the weightlifting tradition of Kondavelagada, which has produced 20 national and 13 international weightlifters.

Ajaya entered the Games in strong form, having previously defeated Hidayat at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships earlier this year, lifting a total of 335kg compared to Hidayat's 333kg.

India's Weightlifting Success

India's weightlifting team had a successful day overall, with Gyaneshwari Yadav earning silver in the women's 53kg category and Bindyarani Devi taking home bronze in the women's 58kg event. Gyaneshwari, competing in her first Commonwealth Games after moving up from the 49kg category, achieved a personal best of 199kg (88kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk), completing all six of her lifts successfully. Bindyarani added to her accolades with her second consecutive Commonwealth Games medal, having previously won silver in Birmingham 2022.

India's Medal Tally

With these latest achievements, India has now secured a total of six medals in weightlifting at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, comprising one gold, four silver, and one bronze. The medal winners include:

• Mirabai Chanu (Gold, Weightlifting)


• Sharmila Dhankar (Gold, Women's Shot Put F57)


• Rishikanta Singh (Silver, Weightlifting)


• Muthupandi Raja (Silver, Weightlifting)


• Gyaneshwari Yadav (Silver, Weightlifting)


• Sarvesh Kushare (Silver, Men's High Jump)


• Valluri Ajaya Babu (Silver, Weightlifting)


• Bindyarani Devi (Bronze, Weightlifting)


• Shilpa Shyla (Bronze, Women's Shot Put F57)


• Jhandu Kumar (Bronze, Para Powerlifting)