Arundhati Choudhary Shines at Commonwealth Games 2026, Aiming for Olympic Glory
Historic Victory for Arundhati Choudhary
Kota (Rajasthan) [India], August 2: On Sunday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla extended his congratulations to Arundhati Choudhary, who made history by winning the gold medal in women's 70kg boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. Birla expressed immense pride in her achievement, emphasizing that she has brought honor to Kota and expressed hopes for her future success at the Olympics.
Arundhati, a native of Kota, triumphed over England's Chantelle Reid, a world bronze medallist, with a decisive 5-0 unanimous decision, marking a significant milestone in her boxing career.
Birla commended Arundhati and her family for their unwavering dedication and hard work. He stated, “Her victory has brought pride to Kota. I have known her for many years, and her hard work since childhood has finally paid off. We now look forward to her Olympic journey.”
Additionally, Birla shared his vision for enhancing the sports infrastructure in Kota, aiming to cultivate more champions from the region. He mentioned, “Kota will soon have world-class facilities for various sports, enabling local students to excel in national and international competitions.”
In the gold-medal match, Arundhati showcased a strategic and composed performance, maintaining control throughout the bout and securing her victory just moments before the judges confirmed the unanimous decision.
Remarkably, her sister disclosed that Arundhati competed in the final while suffering from a high fever of 102 degrees, making her achievement even more impressive.
Her victory was part of a record-setting campaign for Indian boxing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where India concluded the boxing events with a historic total of 10 medals—seven gold and three silver—marking the nation's most successful performance in this arena.
The gold medals were earned by Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), and Ankush Panghal (80kg). The silver medals were claimed by Jadumani Singh (55kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), and Narender Berwal (+90kg).
This impressive medal tally surpasses India's previous best performances at the Commonwealth Games, where the country had secured three gold medals each in Delhi 2010, Gold Coast 2018, and Birmingham 2022, highlighting the rising prominence of Indian boxing on the Commonwealth stage.