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Sharmila Dhankar wins India’s first CWG para-athletics gold. Sarvesh Kushare, Valluri Ajaya Babu and Gyaneshwari Yadav add silvers in Glasgow.
Sarvesh Kushare wins high jump silver at CWG 2026 (Picture credit: AFP)
Sharmila Dhankar created history by becoming India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games para-athletics gold medallist, while high jumper Sarvesh Kushare and weightlifters Valluri Ajaya Babu and Gyaneshwari Yadav added a silver medal each as India enjoyed a rewarding day at the multi-sport event in Glasgow.
Sharmila scripted history by winning the women’s shot put F57 gold with a season-best throw of 9.81m, becoming India’s first-ever CWG para-athletics gold medallist.
Sharmila’s win ended India’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics medal at the CWG. The nation’s previous medal in the discipline came at the 2006 edition, when Ranjith Kumar Jayaseelan won bronze in the men’s seated discus throw event.
The F57 classification is for athletes with lower limb impairments, limb deficiencies or reduced muscle power.
Soon after, national record holder Kushare created history by becoming the first Indian to win a silver medal in the men’s high jump at the Games.
The 31-year-old cleared 2.25m before missing out on gold on countback to Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford after both athletes failed to clear 2.28m. England’s Kimani Jack claimed the bronze with a best clearance of 2.20m.
Kushare bettered the bronze medal won by Tejaswin Shankar at the Birmingham Games four years ago, which had been India’s only medal in the men’s high jump at the CWG.
Tejaswin, who was in action on Monday as well, withdrew after failing to clear 2.05m on his opening attempt as a precaution, with the men’s decathlon all set to start later this week.
Adarsh Ram finished fifth with 2.15m.
Indian Lifters Keep Medal Rush Going
Weightlifting once again proved to be India’s most productive sport, with 21-year-old Valluri Ajaya Babu clinching the silver medal in the men’s 79kg category after an intense battle with Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad.
The Andhra Pradesh lifter totalled 330kg (149kg snatch + 181kg clean and jerk), missing gold by just 1kg to Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who set a Games record with a 331kg total.
The duo rewrote the Games records during an enthralling clean and jerk contest before the Malaysian sealed the win with his final lift.
Ajaya Babu’s silver took India’s weightlifting tally to six medals at the Games.
India had already enjoyed a productive day in weightlifting on Monday, with Gyaneshwari Yadav claiming silver in the women’s 53kg category and Bindyarani Devi adding a bronze in the women’s 58kg event.
Gyaneshwari claimed silver with a career-best total of 199kg (88kg snatch + 111kg clean and jerk), behind Nigeria’s Onome Omolola Didih, who set Commonwealth and CWG records with 206kg.
Bindyarani fought but had to settle for the bronze medal after finishing with a total lift of 199kg (87kg in the snatch and 112kg in the clean and jerk), while Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal stormed to a record-breaking gold medal.
Indian Boxers Move Within Striking Distance of Medals
India’s boxing contingent remained in medal contention as well, with Sachin Siwach, Ankush and Sakshi Chaudhary progressing to the quarterfinals of their respective weight categories.
Former world youth champion Sachin Siwach outclassed England’s William Hewitt 4-1 in the men’s 60kg category to book his place in the quarterfinals. He will next face Botswana’s Treasure Moremi for a spot in the semifinals.
Ankush beat Antigua and Barbuda’s Jan Zalaan 5-0 in the men’s 80kg category to reach the quarterfinals, while Sakshi Chaudhary also advanced with a 5-0 victory over Botswana’s Lethabo Modukanele in the women’s 51kg division.
But Sumit bowed out after losing a closely-fought men’s 70kg round of 16 contest 1-4 on split decision to Northern Ireland’s Jon McConnell.
Gurindervir Falls Short of Expectations
In athletics earlier in the day, national record holder Gurindervir Singh endured a disappointing outing after crashing out of the men’s 100m heats.
The 25-year-old clocked 10.39 seconds to finish 28th overall, missing the semifinals despite entering the CWG with a 10.09-second personal best and hopes of breaking the 10-second barrier.
Meanwhile, national record holder Tejas Shirse became the first Indian to qualify for the men’s 110m hurdles final at the CWG but finished eighth in the medal race after picking up an injury.
The 24-year-old Shirse finished third in Heat 1 with a time of 13.76 seconds and made it to the final in sixth place overall.
But in the final later in the evening, an injured Shirse could only manage 15.39 seconds to finish eighth and last. His national record stands at 13.27 seconds.
Swimmers End Day Empty-Handed
There was little joy in the pool as two-time Olympian Sajan Prakash and Aryan Nehra both finished eighth in their respective finals.
Prakash clocked 1:58.05 in the men’s 200m butterfly final, while Nehra returned a time of 8:07.26 in the men’s 800m freestyle final.
In para swimming, Swatik Patil finished fifth in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 event with a timing of 1:15.82.
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