Valluri Ajaya Babu Shines with Silver at Commonwealth Games 2026
A Proud Achievement for Vizianagaram
In Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, Minister Kondapalli Srinivas celebrated Valluri Ajaya Babu's remarkable achievement of winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, marking a significant moment for both the district and the state.
The 22-year-old athlete from Kondavelagada village showcased an impressive performance, lifting a total of 330kg (149kg in snatch and 181kg in clean and jerk), narrowly missing the gold medal by just one kilogram to Malaysia's Muhammad Erry Hidayat, who set a Games record with a clean and jerk lift of 184kg.
Srinivas emphasized the strong weightlifting heritage of Ajaya's hometown and credited the ongoing support for the sport from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and senior leader Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju for fostering such talent.
In a statement, Srinivas expressed his joy, stating, "It fills me with pride to announce that a resident of Vizianagaram has secured a Commonwealth Silver medal in weightlifting. This is a proud moment for our district, and it’s not the first time we’ve celebrated weightlifting success here. Ajaya hails from Kondavelagada, and the community has made significant efforts to promote this sport, thanks to the encouragement from our Chief Minister and my esteemed leader, Sri Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Governor of Goa."
He also commended Ajaya's father, Srinivasa Rao, a former Army personnel and weightlifting coach, for mentoring his son since he was eight years old. Srinivas remarked that Ajaya's silver medal is a source of national pride, congratulating him for bringing honor to the nation and making Vizianagaram proud.
"I have witnessed his father's dedication; he is an ex-army man and has been training Ajaya since he was eight. Today, we celebrate a national achievement with this Commonwealth Silver medal. It’s a proud moment for our district, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Valluri Arun Ajay for representing our nation and earning this award," he added.
Ajaya kicked off his competition with a record-setting lift of 149kg in the snatch, positioning himself as a strong contender for gold. However, Hidayat's exceptional performance in the clean and jerk allowed him to surpass Ajaya by a mere kilogram.
This silver medal is a continuation of Ajaya's family's legacy in weightlifting; his father had previously won a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and Ajaya has now elevated that achievement by securing silver in Glasgow.
Continuing the proud sporting legacy of Kondavelagada, which has produced 20 national and 13 international weightlifters, Ajaya entered the Games in excellent form, having previously defeated Hidayat at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships earlier this year with a total lift of 335kg, compared to Hidayat's 333kg. Although the outcome was reversed in Glasgow, Ajaya proved once again that he can compete with the best in the world.