CWG 2026: Preeti Pawar wins India's first boxing gold at Glasgow, beats Canada's Scarlett Delgado
Glasgow, August 1
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar secured the women's 54kg gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after defeating Canada's Scarlett Delgado by unanimous decision in the final on Saturday. It is also India's first Gold Medal in Boxing in the ongoing Commonwealth Games.
Pawar made a composed start to the bout as Delgado landed a few early punches. The Indian boxer remained patient and gradually found her rhythm, responding with accurate punches and using her left hook effectively.
The judges awarded the opening round to Pawar by a unanimous 5-0 scoreline.
Pawar continued to grow in confidence in the second round, landing cleaner and more precise punches. She took control of the contest midway through the round with a flurry of sharp combinations that forced a standing count for Delgado.
The judges again gave the round to Pawar 5-0, leaving the Indian boxer just one round away from securing the gold medal.
Pawar maintained her dominance in the final round, dictating the pace and keeping Delgado on the back foot. She continued to land cleaner punches, including a crisp left hook and a solid right hand, as the Canadian struggled to find a response.
After the final bell, Pawar was declared the winner by unanimous decision, securing India's first boxing gold medal of the day at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
Meanwhile, in athletics, Gulveer Singh will compete in the men's 5000m final, aiming to add another medal to the silver he secured in the 10,000m event at Glasgow 2026. Triple jumpers Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran will also be in action, hoping to recreate India's memorable 1-2 finish in the event achieved by Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
National record holder Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar will contest the men's pole vault final, while India's mixed 4x400m relay team will also compete for a podium finish. Olympian Priyanka Goswami will aim to go one step better than her silver medal at Birmingham 2022 when she takes part in the race walk event.
In judo, India will look to continue its strong start after an historic opening day. Unnati Sharma (women's 63kg), Karanjit Singh Maan (men's 90kg), Harsh Tokas (men's 81kg) and Inunganbi Takhellambam (women's 70kg) will compete on Saturday. This comes after Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh won India's first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold medals on Friday.
In bowls, Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar will face England in a crucial men's pairs match, with the winner securing a place in the semi-finals. India will also have medal chances in para athletics and track cycling during the day's events.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Unanimous 5-0 in every round—she didn't just win, she dominated! The left hook was working beautifully. Meanwhile, we have athletics and judo also looking strong. Common wealth games 2026 and India is here to stay! 🥊
Amazing performance! But let's not forget that we still have a long way to go in boxing infrastructure at the grassroots level. The Khelo India programme and better coaching have helped, but we need more international exposure for our boxers. Today's victory should be a stepping stone, not just a celebration.
Preeti Pawar ki jai ho! 🙌 Such a clinical performance. And it's not just boxing—we've got Gulveer Singh going for gold in the 5000m, triple jump hopes, judo golds already... what a moment for Indian sports! The entire country is cheering for everyone competing today. Let's keep the medal tally climbing!
Her right hand connections in the final round were pure class. Completely outclassed the Canadian. This is what happens when you train hard with world-class coaching. The standing count in round 2 was the turning point. Delgado had no answer after that.
Tremendous performance! I've been watching Indian boxing since Vijender Singh's Beijing bronze, and the progress is incredible. Usha mam's federation deserves credit for preparing our boxers so well. Now hoping Dev Meena brings home the pole vault medal too—he's been brilliant this season. 🇮🇳
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