Indian weightlifter Chanambam Rishikanta Singh has won the silver medal in the men’s 60kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
The 28-year-old lifter from Manipur created a new Commonwealth Games record with a powerful 121kg snatch.
He finished with a combined total of 264kg, giving India its first silver and second overall medal of the Games.
Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan claimed gold, while Kenya’s Joshua Amunga Mboya secured bronze.
India’s weightlifting campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 began with a memorable medal as Chanambam Rishikanta Singh delivered a record-breaking performance in the men’s 60kg final in Glasgow.
Rishikanta lifted a combined total of 264kg, consisting of 121kg in the snatch and 143kg in the clean and jerk, to finish second on the podium. His silver became India’s second medal of the ongoing Games after para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar had earlier secured bronze.
The final developed into a high-pressure battle between Rishikanta and Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan. Both athletes produced a 121kg snatch, but Kasdan eventually moved ahead during the clean-and-jerk stage and finished with a Games-record total of 273kg. Kenya’s Joshua Amunga Mboya claimed bronze with 260kg.
Record-Breaking Snatch Gives India a Brilliant Start
Rishikanta entered the competition as one of India’s strongest medal hopes and immediately showed confidence on the international stage.
He successfully completed 116kg in his opening snatch attempt before raising the weight to 119kg. With a medal position becoming increasingly likely, the Indian lifter selected 121kg for his third and final attempt.
Rishikanta remained calm, completed the lift successfully and created a new Commonwealth Games record. The effort was also greater than his previously reported personal best of 120kg, making the performance a major individual breakthrough.
Malaysia’s Kasdan later matched the 121kg mark, leaving the two leading athletes level after the snatch phase. Rishikanta’s record-breaking lift had briefly placed him in the gold-medal position and created excitement among Indian supporters following the competition.
| Competition detail | Result |
|---|---|
| Athlete | Chanambam Rishikanta Singh |
| Country | India |
| Event | Men’s 60kg weightlifting |
| Snatch | 121kg — Commonwealth Games record |
| Clean and jerk | 143kg |
| Combined total | 264kg |
| Medal | Silver |
| Gold medallist | Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan, Malaysia |
| Bronze medallist | Joshua Amunga Mboya, Kenya |
How the Gold-Medal Battle Unfolded
The clean-and-jerk section ultimately decided the final standings.
Rishikanta successfully lifted 143kg in his first clean-and-jerk attempt, taking his overall total to 264kg. However, his next attempts did not go according to plan. He was unable to complete the heavier weight needed to overtake Kasdan, including an unsuccessful final attempt at 151kg.
Kasdan took advantage of the opportunity and moved into the lead. The Malaysian weightlifter produced the strongest combined performance of the event and successfully defended his position at the top of the podium.
Despite missing gold, Rishikanta showed impressive sportsmanship after the competition. He congratulated Kasdan, and the two athletes shared a friendly moment following their intense battle for the title.
The final standings reflected how closely contested the competition had been. Rishikanta finished nine kilograms behind Kasdan but remained safely ahead of bronze medallist Mboya.
Why Rishikanta Singh’s Silver Matters for India
The medal represents an important moment for both Rishikanta and Indian weightlifting.
India has traditionally performed strongly in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games, and Rishikanta’s result indicates that the country continues to develop competitive athletes across different weight categories.
The achievement is also significant for Manipur, a state that has produced several internationally successful Indian athletes. Rishikanta’s performance may encourage more young sportspersons from northeastern India to pursue professional weightlifting despite the financial, training and infrastructure challenges many athletes face.
Indian sports fans have recently witnessed several emerging athletes producing fearless performances on major stages. A similar story can be seen in the rise of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose record-breaking IPL campaign made him one of Indian cricket’s most discussed young talents.
Rishikanta’s silver also demonstrates that success in elite sport is usually built through years of repeated training rather than one extraordinary day. The connection between consistent daily effort and long-term achievement is also explored in The Science of Habit Formation: How Small Daily Actions Shape Your Life.
What Comes Next for India at Commonwealth Games 2026
India now has additional medal opportunities across weightlifting and several other sports.
Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu is among India’s biggest weightlifting hopes in Glasgow. Indian athletes are also competing in boxing, artistic gymnastics, swimming and lawn bowls as the Commonwealth Games programme continues.
India’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team, featuring Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda and Dhakshan Shashikumar, also qualified for the final on the same day.
Rishikanta’s silver has provided valuable early momentum to the Indian contingent. More importantly, his 121kg Commonwealth Games record ensured that his performance will be remembered as more than simply a second-place finish.
For Indian supporters, the medal represents a positive beginning to the country’s weightlifting campaign. As more leading athletes enter their events, expectations will now rise that India can convert several of its remaining opportunities into gold medals.
Rishikanta Singh may have narrowly missed the top position, but his confidence, record-breaking snatch and composed performance under pressure have already made him one of the early Indian stars of the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Source: NDTV Sports — Commonwealth Games 2026 Day 4 Live Updates
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