Unnati Sharma Celebrates India's Judo Triumph at Commonwealth Games 2026
India's Judo Success at the Commonwealth Games
By Adarsh Chauhan
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7: Unnati Sharma, who secured a bronze medal in judo at the Commonwealth Games 2026, praised India's impressive performance, which saw the nation earn four medals in the sport at the Glasgow Games. She believes this achievement will significantly enhance the sport's visibility and popularity in India.
In addition to Unnati's bronze in the Women's -63kg category, India's judo medal tally included golds from Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, along with a silver from Yamini Mourya, culminating in a total of four medals. Notably, Asmita's gold marked India's first judo gold at these Games.
Unnati clinched her bronze after a remarkable Ippon victory against South Africa's Skye Knoester, finishing the match in just 1 minute and 7 seconds with a perfectly executed leg hook that resulted in a clean Ippon, the highest score in judo.
In an interview, Unnati expressed her joy over India's judo achievements, particularly the two gold medals, stating that it represents a significant boost for the sport in the country.
“It feels amazing that we finally have medals in Judo, especially two golds. This is a great boost for Judo in India,” she remarked.
Unnati's journey began with an Ippon victory over Lamulela Magagula from Eswatini in the round of 16, followed by a waza-ari win against New Zealand's Qona Christie in the quarter-finals. However, she faced an Ippon defeat against Australia's Saya Middleton, the eventual silver medallist, in the semi-finals, which led her to the bronze medal match.
After her semi-final loss, Unnati analyzed her opponent's previous matches and developed a strategy to counter her left-handed style. During the bronze medal bout, she utilized a Dane-Toshi technique, taking advantage of her opponent's body position to secure an Ippon victory.
“After losing in the semi-finals, I reviewed my opponent's fights online and devised a strategy to counter her left-handed approach. I noticed her body weight was back, so I applied Dane-Toshi, which led to my Ippon victory,” she explained.
Despite her disappointment after the semi-final, where her goal was gold, Unnati remained focused and positive, shifting her attention to securing the bronze medal.
“I was very disappointed after the semi-final because I aimed for gold and lost due to my own mistake. However, I knew I had to focus on winning bronze, so I kept a positive mindset,” she shared.
Unnati acknowledged the unwavering support from her family, coaches, and the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), which played a crucial role in her journey.
“The support from my family, my coaches, and the Inspire Institute of Sport has been invaluable. Their encouragement and facilities have been instrumental in my training,” she stated.
Looking ahead, Unnati's primary goal is to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and she plans to participate in various competitions leading up to the event.
“My goal is LA 2028, and I will focus on competing in events to qualify for it,” she concluded.