Shilpa Shyla Secures Bronze in Women's Shot Put F57 at Commonwealth Games 2026

Shilpa Shyla's Remarkable Achievement

In a thrilling turn of events at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Indian para-athlete Shilpa Shyla has been awarded the bronze medal in the women's shot put F57 category. This upgrade came after Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi was disqualified following an official review, marking a historic double podium finish for India at these Games.

Initially, Shilpa had secured fourth place with a personal best throw of 7.26 meters. However, with Iyiazi's disqualification, she ascended to the podium. The updated results also confirmed that fellow Indian athlete Sharmila Dhankar maintained her gold medal position with a season-best throw of 9.81 meters, while Ghana's Zinabu Issah took home the silver with a throw of 8.65 meters.

This bronze medal elevates India's total medal count at the Games to ten, comprising two golds, five silvers, and three bronzes.

Shilpa's journey to this achievement is particularly inspiring. Hailing from Kanchigara Koppalu village in Mysuru district, she lost her left leg at the tender age of four due to a tragic accident involving a speeding truck. Despite this life-changing event, she persevered through her education, earning a postgraduate degree and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), and initially worked as a school teacher before venturing into para-athletics.

Her impressive throw of 7.26 meters in Glasgow initially placed her just shy of the medals, but the review process and subsequent disqualification of the Nigerian competitor allowed her to claim a well-deserved bronze, contributing to India's remarkable achievement of a double podium finish in a single event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The women's shot put F57 event was dominated by Sharmila Dhankar, who continued her exceptional performance by clinching gold with her season-best throw of 9.81 meters. The 40-year-old para-athlete from Haryana showcased a stellar performance, while Issah secured the silver for Ghana.

As of now, India's medal tally in Glasgow includes Mirabai Chanu (gold in weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold in women's shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver in weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver in weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver in weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver in men's high jump), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver in weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze in weightlifting), Shilpa Shyla (bronze in women's shot put F57), and Jhandu Kumar (bronze in para powerlifting).