Jadumani Mandengbam Secures Semifinal Spot at 2026 Commonwealth Games
Jadumani Mandengbam Advances in Boxing
Glasgow [Scotland], July 29: Indian boxer Jadumani Mandengbam has guaranteed himself at least a bronze medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after triumphing over Zambia's Mwale in the men's quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
As the match progressed, Jadumani showcased his strength, overcoming a tightly contested first round before dominating the subsequent rounds to achieve a unanimous decision victory, as reported by ESPN.
In the initial round, he secured a 4-1 score despite facing relentless pressure from his Zambian rival, who started aggressively with rapid combinations. Jadumani countered effectively with disciplined boxing and precise strikes, allowing him to take the lead on the judges' scorecards.
From the second round onward, the bout turned in Jadumani's favor as he controlled the pace with swift movements and accurate punches. He swept the second round unanimously and continued his commanding performance in the final round.
The judges scored the match 30-27 on three cards and 29-28 on the other two, confirming Jadumani's advancement to the semifinals and ensuring another boxing medal for India at the Glasgow Games.
In another event, India made a strong start in the men's pairs bowls competition, with Dinesh Kumar and Navneet Singh overcoming the Cook Islands in a thrilling sectional play match, according to ESPN.
After losing the first set 5-3, the Indian duo bounced back to win the second set 6-5, leading to a tie-break situation.
The Cook Islands team had taken control in the first set, scoring three points in the fourth end after the scores were tied at 2-1, ultimately winning the set comfortably.
India dominated early in the second set, establishing a 5-0 lead after the first two ends. However, the Cook Islands fought back, narrowing the gap and pushing the match to a tense finish, but the Indians maintained their composure to win the set by a single point.
With the sets tied, Dinesh and Navneet held their nerve in the decisive tie-break, narrowly winning the six-shot shootout 1-0 to secure their first victory of the campaign.
India has had a remarkable performance in Glasgow, amassing a total of 12 medals so far, including two gold, six silver, and three bronze.
The medal winners 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, 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).