"Athletes are all confident": IOA President PT Usha backs Team India at CWG 2026
Glasgow, July 25
Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha praised the Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony and expressed confidence in the Indian contingent, urging athletes to remain focused on their respective events and give their best.
Usha said the Indian athletes were confident and backed them to perform well at the Games.
"The Indian athletes are all confident, and I expect them to perform well. They should stay focused on their own events, believe in themselves, and give their best. If they perform to the best of their ability, the medals will come naturally," she said.
"The Commonwealth Games opening ceremony was excellent. Even after the ceremony, the athletes remained seated in the front rows and were able to enjoy the entire program," Usha told reporters.
India have already opened their medal account at the Games with a bronze in powerlifting. Usha praised the performance, saying the athlete narrowly missed out on gold but had made the country proud.
"We have already started with a bronze medal in powerlifting. He narrowly missed winning the gold, but a medal is a medal, and he has made us proud," Usha said.
She also lauded boxer Lovlina Borgohain's performance and expressed hope that Indian athletes would continue to deliver strong performances in their respective events.
"Lovlina also performed well. I believe they will all continue to do well," she added.
Meanwhile, India opened its medal account at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Jhandu Kumar won bronze in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting final in Glasgow. Jhandu lifted 190kg for 130.9 points, while his attempt at 196kg, which could have broken the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games meet record, was unsuccessful.
India's Ashok finished fourth in the men's lightweight category, while Paramjeet Kumar placed seventh. In the women's events, Jaspreet Kaur and Suman Devi finished sixth and seventh, respectively, while Kasthuri Rajamani failed to register a valid lift.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Usha madam is right—focus and belief are key. But I hope the federation also supports athletes with proper facilities and nutrition back home. Medals don't come from confidence alone; they need infrastructure too. Still, best wishes to every player! 🙌
Great to see India's medal tally starting early. Jhandu Kumar's performance was inspiring—190kg is no joke! The future looks bright with athletes like Lovlina leading the charge. Best of luck to the entire contingent!
PT Usha was a legend on the track, and now she's leading the IOA with grace. But honestly, I wish more attention was given to athletes who didn't medal—like the women in powerlifting who finished 6th and 7th. They also need encouragement and support to improve. 💪 Still, proud of the team!
Confidence is good, but actions speak louder. Let's hope the administration delivers on promises like better training camps and athlete welfare. The opening ceremony sounds amazing—wish we could see more of it on TV. Every medal matters, and Jhandu's bronze is a testament to hard work! 🔥
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