CWG 2026: Raja Muthupandi wins weightlifting silver as India's medal rush continues in Glasgow
Glasgow, July 27
India's Raja Muthupandi capped a memorable comeback by clinching the silver medal in the men's 65kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, giving the country its third medal of the day and continuing a strong showing by the Indian weightlifting contingent.
According to ESPN, the 26-year-old finished with a combined total of 286kg, lifting 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk to secure second place on the podium.
Malaysia's Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamed claimed the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, sealing his third successive Commonwealth Games title after victories at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
Raja opened his campaign strongly by recording a best lift of 126kg in the snatch on his second attempt. He followed it up with a successful 160kg lift in the clean and jerk, also on his second attempt, to finish with an overall total of 286kg and earn India's latest medal in Glasgow.
The silver capped an impressive comeback for Raja, whose career was nearly derailed by a serious elbow ligament injury in 2019. The rehabilitation process was further disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while a shift to a higher weight category coincided with Jeremy Lalrinnunga's rise, forcing Raja out of contention for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
He worked his way back into the national setup after the introduction of the 65kg category and produced encouraging performances on the international stage, including a ninth-place finish at the 2025 World Championships with a personal-best total of 299kg.
The silver medal added to India's rich haul in weightlifting on Sunday. Earlier, Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu secured a third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women's 48kg category, while Chanambam Rishikanta Singh claimed silver in the men's 60kg event.
With Raja's podium finish, India collected its third medal of the day, all coming from weightlifting, underlining the sport's continued contribution to the country's Commonwealth Games campaign.
Elsewhere, India's boxing campaign suffered its first setback of the Games after Aditya Pratap Yadav bowed out in the men's competition. The Indian pugilist lost his pre-quarterfinal bout to Uganda's Nuhu Batte by a narrow 3-2 split decision, marking India's first boxing defeat at Glasgow 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great comeback story, but I wish we had more depth in weightlifting beyond these medal winners. The Malaysian lifter is clearly a class apart - three titles in a row is incredible consistency. India needs to invest more in sports science and nutrition at grassroots level to bridge that gap. Good effort though, Raja! 🏋️
Three weightlifting medals in one day - that's what I call dominance! And to think Raja nearly didn't make it to these Games after that elbow injury in 2019. The way he fought back, with COVID disrupting his rehab and then the category shift... proper inspirational stuff. Weightlifting is truly becoming India's strong suit at the CWG. 💙
Heartening to see a Tamil Nadu athlete doing well on the international stage! We don't get enough representation from the south in weightlifting. Hope this inspires more youngsters from the region to take up the sport. Also, sad to hear about Aditya Yadav's defeat in boxing - those split decisions can be cruel. Onwards and upwards! 🤞
Raja's personal best of 299kg at the 2025 Worlds shows he has it in him to challenge the Malaysian champion next time. This silver should give him massive confidence. India's weightlifting program under new coaches is clearly paying dividends. Meanwhile, tough luck for Aditya in boxing - but these narrow losses are part of the learning curve. Overall, a productive day for India at Glasgow! 🏅
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