Harjinder Kaur Shines with Silver at Commonwealth Games 2026
Harjinder Kaur's Remarkable Achievement
Glasgow [Scotland], July 29: Indian weightlifter Harjinder Kaur proudly secured a silver medal in the women's 69kg category during the 2026 Commonwealth Games, dedicating her success to her family after delivering a personal-best performance in Glasgow.
In an interview following her medal-winning lift, Harjinder expressed her joy, stating, “Winning the silver medal for India fills me with pride. I am thrilled with my performance and want to dedicate this achievement to my family. I am grateful to the Indian Federation and the Government for their support in helping us reach this stage.”
The athlete from Punjab showcased an outstanding performance, achieving a total lift of 227kg, which included 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean and jerk, placing her second overall. The gold medal was claimed by Canada's Charlotte Simoneau, who lifted a total of 235kg (108kg in snatch and 127kg in clean and jerk).
Harjinder made her mark early in the snatch competition, breaking the Commonwealth Games record twice. She began with a successful lift of 96kg, then surpassed the previous record with a 99kg lift, and capped it off with an impressive 101kg in her final attempt.
Continuing her momentum into the clean and jerk, she opened with a solid 120kg lift, briefly taking the lead and applying pressure on Simoneau. She later completed a 126kg lift, finishing with a career-best total of 227kg to secure the silver medal.
Despite Simoneau reclaiming the lead with a final lift to win gold, Harjinder's record-breaking performance highlighted her consistency on the international stage, marking a significant improvement from her bronze medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
At 28 years old and hailing from Nabha, Punjab, Harjinder has firmly established herself as one of India's top weightlifters, adding another medal to the country's impressive tally at the Glasgow Games.
India has now amassed a total of 12 medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, including two gold, seven silver, and three bronze.
The current medalists for India 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), Gulveer Singh (silver, men's 10,000m), Harjinder Kaur (silver, weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze, women's shot put F57), and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).