Vishal TK and Srihari Nataraj Shine at Commonwealth Games 2026
India's Athletes Excel in Glasgow
Glasgow [Scotland], July 28: At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, India's Vishal TK advanced to the semifinals of the men's 400m event following a stellar performance in the heats. Additionally, swimmer Srihari Nataraj secured his spot in the semifinals of the men's 50m freestyle, as reported by a leading sports network.
Vishal completed his heat in 46.49 seconds, finishing second and surpassing the qualification threshold of 46.62 seconds. Earlier this year, he made history as the first Indian to break the 45-second mark in the men's 400m, and he continued his impressive streak by qualifying as the 14th fastest overall. Only Vishal and Jamaica's Amal Glasgow progressed from his heat, according to the sports network.
Rajesh Ramesh narrowly missed out on a semifinal position in the men's 400m, clocking 47.43 seconds and initially ranking 12th overall. However, after five competitors in subsequent heats outpaced him, he ended up in 17th place, concluding his journey in the event.
In swimming, Srihari Nataraj finished fifth in Heat 4 of the men's 50m freestyle with a time of 55.58 seconds, securing his semifinal qualification despite being 1.46 seconds behind the heat winner, Pieter Coetze, who is a strong contender for gold.
On the other hand, Sajan Prakash did not qualify for the semifinals in the men's 50m butterfly, finishing last in his heat with a time of 24.94 seconds. He placed 28th overall among 70 competitors, falling short of the 24.25 seconds needed to reach the top 16.
India also celebrated achievements in para swimming, with Karthik Budigina (26.33 seconds) and Ali Imam (28.41 seconds) both qualifying for the men's 50m freestyle S13 final. Budigina was the sixth fastest in the heats, while Imam secured the eighth position, ensuring their places in the medal contention.
With Vishal and Srihari moving forward, India aims to enhance its medal tally in athletics and swimming as the Commonwealth Games continue in Glasgow.