Indian Swimmers Shine on Day 2 of Commonwealth Games 2026

Outstanding Performances by Indian Swimmers

During the second day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Indian swimmers showcased exceptional talent, paving the way for potential medal wins. Para-swimmers Karthik Budigina and Ali Imam both qualified for the men's 100m freestyle S13 final, while Olympian Srihari Nataraj advanced to the semifinals in the men's 50m backstroke.

Budigina and Imam Make Their Mark

In his Commonwealth Games debut, 18-year-old Karthik Budigina made a significant impression. The visually impaired athlete recorded a time of 57.10 seconds, finishing third in the men's 100m freestyle S13 heats. Although he was in fourth place for most of the race, Budigina's strong finish allowed him to secure a top-three position, just 0.53 seconds behind Great Britain's Stephen Clegg, who led the heats with an impressive 56.57 seconds. Budigina's journey is particularly inspiring, having switched from rowing to swimming during the COVID-19 pandemic, making his rapid rise to the finals even more remarkable.

Joining Budigina in the final is fellow debutant Ali Imam. Competing in the S13 category despite being classified as an S12 swimmer, Imam clocked in at 1:05.32. Although he finished last in the heats, the competition format permitted all eight swimmers to progress directly to the medal race scheduled for Friday evening.

Nataraj Advances to Semifinals

In the able-bodied category, Srihari Nataraj also achieved success by securing a place in the men's 50m backstroke semifinals. He finished fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 25.52 seconds, placing him 14th overall across all heats and ensuring his advancement to the semifinals. Nataraj had already met the qualification standard of 25.39 seconds prior to the Games and aims to enhance his performance in the upcoming rounds. South Africa's Pietr Coetze set a high benchmark in the heats, finishing with a time of 24.45 seconds, 1.07 seconds ahead of Nataraj.