India Shines on Day Four of Commonwealth Games 2026 with Mirabai Chanu Leading the Charge
On the fourth day of the Commonwealth Games 2026, Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu once again captured everyone’s attention as she helped India secure its third consecutive Commonwealth title. Alongside her on the podium were Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi, both of whom earned silver medals, rounding off a fantastic day for the Indian team on Sunday.
Weightlifting was responsible for all of the day’s successes, bringing India’s total medal count to four: one gold, two silver, and one bronze. This helped India climb to eighth place in the overall rankings. Boxing also brought cheers, with Preeti Pawar moving into the quarterfinals and Jadumani Singh Mandengbam defeating Pakistan’s Sumama Rehman in an exciting Round of 16 match. However, it was a tough day for the Indian team in lawn bowls, swimming, artistic gymnastics, and wheelchair basketball.
Weightlifters Shine Bright
Mirabai Chanu once again showcased her talent by winning gold in the women’s 48kg category. The weightlifting champion set new Commonwealth records with a total lift of 190kg—comprising 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk.
Her victory marked India’s first gold medal at the Glasgow Games and its third medal overall, following para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar’s bronze in the men’s heavyweight category.
At 31 years old, Mirabai displayed her resilience after initially missing her opening lifts. Ultimately, she finished 22kg ahead of Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong, who took home silver with a total of 168kg. With her gold secured and the Asian Games coming up, Mirabai chose not to attempt a final lift.
Earlier in the day, Rishikanta Singh contributed to the medal tally by winning silver in the men’s 60kg competition. He matched the Commonwealth snatch record with a lift of 121kg and finished with a total of 264kg, making history as the first male weightlifter from Manipur to earn a Commonwealth medal.
Raja Muthupandi also added to India’s success, securing silver in the men’s 65kg event with combined lifts of 126kg and 160kg for a total of 286kg.
Boxing Successes
India’s boxing squad continued to deliver impressive performances, particularly from Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, who won 5-0 against Pakistan’s Sumama Rehman in the men’s 55kg Round of 16. The much-anticipated clash lived up to the hype, as Jadumani controlled the fight after a strong start from his opponent.
Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar also shone brightly, securing a second-round stoppage against Malawi’s Deborah Mtenje in the women’s 54kg Round of 16. Preeti dominated from the very beginning, forcing the referee to end the match with just 47 seconds left in the second round. She’s now just one victory away from clinching a medal.
Setbacks in Lawn Bowls
It was a disappointing day for India in lawn bowls, with both the women’s pairs team and Putul Sonowal facing challenges. Pinki Singh and Rupa Rani Tirkey narrowly missed reaching the semifinals after a close tie-break against England.
In the men’s singles, Putul Sonowal lost to Malta’s Shaun James Parnis, remaining third in his group with one more match to play.
Other Sports
Tapan Mohanty closed his artistic gymnastics campaign with a commendable 15th-place finish, scoring 70.100 points overall.
India’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team faced their second defeat in the tournament, losing 21-4 to Scotland.
In swimming, the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team showed promise by reaching the final but ultimately finished sixth in the medal race.
With more weightlifting events on the horizon, the Indian team is poised to build on this exciting momentum.
