India experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the Commonwealth Games 2026, highlighted by a record-breaking silver medal for weightlifter Lovepreet Singh. Adding to the nation's tally, discus thrower Seema Kaliramna claimed a bronze, while Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, alongside two other Indian javelin throwers, successfully qualified for the final.
Lovepreet Singh's Record-Breaking Silver
Lovepreet Singh delivered a standout performance in the weightlifting arena, securing a silver medal after setting a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch category. The Punjab-based lifter successfully lifted 176kg in snatch, followed by 212kg in the clean and jerk, accumulating a combined total of 388kg. He finished just one kilogram behind New Zealand's David Andrew Liti, who clinched gold with 389kg.
Lovepreet held a 10kg advantage heading into the clean and jerk stage, but Liti overturned this deficit with a record-breaking 223kg final attempt. Lovepreet's own attempt at 217kg, which would have secured him the gold, was unfortunately unsuccessful. "I thought I would win gold after snatch but it was up to God. A little disappointed that I couldn't lift in my final attempt in clean and jerk. I have lifted more in training," Lovepreet stated.
This silver medal improves upon his bronze from the previous Commonwealth Games and contributes to India's impressive eight-medal haul in weightlifting, comprising one gold, six silvers, and one bronze. Teenager Martina Devi also put up a strong fight in the women’s +86kg category, narrowly missing a podium finish in fifth place.
Athletics Highlights: Medals and Qualifications
India's athletics campaign saw another medal with Seema Kaliramna earning bronze in the women’s discus throw. The 27-year-old, making a strong return to competition after motherhood, achieved her medal-winning throw of 58.65m in the third round. Jamaica’s Samantha Hall won gold with 61.66m, and Canada’s Julia Tunks took silver with 60.67m.
Chopra Leads Javelin Charge
In the men’s javelin qualification, Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav, and Yashvir Singh all secured their spots in the final despite challenging weather conditions. Chopra qualified in fifth place with a throw of 79.61m. "The conditions were not the best for javelin throwers. It was not only cold but also windy... nobody was able to decode the wind," Chopra commented on the difficult environment.
Mixed Results Across Other Events
Asian Games champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor missed out on a medal in the men’s shot put, finishing fifth with a best throw of 20.27m. However, national record holders Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu advanced to the triple jump final, placing second and third in qualification respectively. Decathlete Tejaswin Shankar ended the opening day in a strong second position overall. Unfortunately, sprinters Animesh Kujur and Vishal TK did not progress to their respective finals.
In a positive note, India’s men’s lawn bowls pair continued their unbeaten run, adding another encouraging result to the day's proceedings.