CWG 2026: Neeraj Chopra eyes Javelin gold; Lovlina Borgohain leads India's boxing charge for final berths
Glasgow, July 31
India's campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Friday will be headlined by former Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who will be chasing gold in the men's javelin throw final.
Neeraj secured his place in the final with a best throw of 79.61m during the qualification round, finishing fifth overall after navigating difficult throwing conditions at Scotstoun Stadium, as per Olympics.com.
The Indian star will, however, need to produce a significantly better effort in the medal contest, where he faces a formidable field featuring defending Commonwealth champion Arshad Nadeem, in-form Sri Lankan Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott, and former world champion Anderson Peters.
India's Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh will also be in the mix in the 12-man final.
Ten Indian boxers will compete in the semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, with each already guaranteed at least a bronze medal. The achievement marks India's most successful boxing campaign at any edition of the Commonwealth Games in terms of overall medal haul.
Sakshi Chaudhary (women's 51kg), Preeti Pawar (women's 54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (women's 57kg), Priya Ghanghas (women's 60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (women's 70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (women's 75kg), Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (men's 55kg), Sachin Siwach (men's 60kg), Ankush Panghal (men's 80kg) and Narender Berwal (men's +90kg) will all be aiming to book their places in the finals with victories in their respective semi-final bouts.
In athletics, Tejaswin Shankar will be aiming to secure a podium finish in the decathlon after ending Thursday's events in second place overall.
Meanwhile, Yashas Palaksha and Santhosh Kumar T will be in action in the men's 400m hurdles final, with both Indians looking to challenge for medals.
Judo joins India's Commonwealth Games campaign on Friday, with Harsh Singh (men's 60kg), Shraddha Kadubal Chopade (women's 52kg), Rohit Basir Majgul (men's 66kg), Asmita Dey (women's 48kg) and Yamini Mourya (women's 57kg) set to begin their respective campaigns.
Meanwhile, India's cyclists will continue their track events, competing in the men's 4,000m individual pursuit, keirin and elimination race as they look to progress and challenge for strong finishes.
Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar will be up against Ian Barnes and Oliver Thompson in men's pairs bowls sectional play.
Heading into a potential decisive clash against England on Saturday, the Indian pair can ill afford to drop any points.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Lovlina Borgohain leading the boxing charge—what a star! And 10 boxers guaranteed bronze already? That's incredible. Indian boxing is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Sakshi Chaudhary and Jaismine Lamboria also looking strong. Fingers crossed for more golds! 🙏🥊
Nice to see judo and cycling getting some coverage too. Harsh Singh and Shraddha Chopade—new names to watch. But I feel our focus is too narrow on just a few sports. India needs a broader grassroots push. Still, proud of all the athletes representing us! 🇮🇳
Tejaswin Shankar in second place in decathlon after day one? That's massive! Decathlon is such a grueling event. Hope he can hold on for a medal. And our 400m hurdles duo Yashas and Santhosh—so much talent this year. CWG 2026 is turning into a great showcase for Indian athletics! 🏃♂️✨
Gold in javelin is not a given. Nadeem from Pakistan is the defending champ and in great form. Anderson Peters is a beast too. Neeraj needs to be at his absolute best. But if anyone can handle pressure, it's him. Let's go Neeraj! 🔥 Also, great to see our boxers doing so well—10 medals already!
I'm so excited for the boxing semis! Lovlina is a proven champion, but Preeti Pawar, Arund
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