CWG 2026: Parul Choudhary finishes fifth in 3000m steeplechase; Nayanmoni Saikia keeps bowls campaign alive
Glasgow, July 30
Indian distance runner Parul Choudhary finished fifth in the women's 3000m steeplechase final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Day 7, missing out on a podium finish in a race won by Kenya's Faith Cherotich with a Games Record.
Parul was in contention during the early stages before losing touch with the leading pack as the race entered its decisive phase. The national record holder eventually crossed the finish line in fifth place, around 25 seconds behind the winner, according to ESPN.
The battle for silver produced an exciting finish as England's Elise Thorner surged past Kenya's Peruth Cherotich over the closing 200 metres to secure second place, while Chermotich settled for bronze.
In lawn bowls, Nayanmoni Saikia bounced back from her opening group-stage defeat to register a crucial 2-0 victory over Caroline Whitehead of the Isle of Man in the women's singles sectional play.
After taking the opening set, Saikia found herself trailing in the second before producing a strong finish over the final two ends to seal the set 7-4 and keep her semifinal hopes alive. With only the group winner advancing to the knockout stage, the win was vital for the Indian.
In para-athletics, Sagar Thayat and Devender Kumar finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the men's discus throw F42-44/F61-64 final.
Sagar recorded a season's best throw of 51.79m to claim sixth place, while Devender's best effort of 48.20m saw him finish seventh after the completion of six rounds.
India's overall medal tally at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games remained at 15 medals, comprising three gold, nine silver, and three bronze.
India's medallists so far are Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, women's shot put F57), Dilip Mahadu Gavit (gold, men's T47 100m), Mohammed Basil Morssinganakth (silver, men's T47 100m), Murali Sreeshankar (silver, men's long jump), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, men's high jump), Gulveer Singh (silver, men's 10,000m), Harjinder Kaur (silver, weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze, women's shot put F57) and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nayanmoni Saikia showing true Assamese spirit! After losing the first match, to bounce back and win under pressure against a tough opponent shows real character. Lawn bowls might not get the limelight but these athletes deserve all our support. Come on Nayanmoni! 💪🎳
15 medals is decent but we really need to improve in track and field events beyond the usual strongholds. Parul gave her best but the gap with the top is still big. And our men's discus throwers finishing 6th and 7th - there's work to be done. Let's not get complacent just because we have some golds in weightlifting and para events.
Impressive performance from India across the board! I'm particularly fascinated by lawn bowls - it's such a tactical sport. Nayanmoni's comeback win shows great mental toughness. Also delighted to see para-athletes like Sagar Thayat achieving season's bests. The depth in Indian sports is growing steadily. 🇮🇳✨
Parul Choudhary is a champion regardless of the finishing position. Coming from a village in Rajasthan to compete at this level is no small feat. Our athletes need better support systems - scientific coaching, nutrition, and mental conditioning. The government and private sector must invest more in nurturing talent from small towns. 🙏🇮🇳
Was cheering for Parul the entire race! Fifth in Commonwealth Games is no joke - these are world-class athletes. And look at our medal tally - three golds already! Mirabai Chanu's gold in
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