CWG 2026: Rishikanta dedicates weightlifting silver to PM Modi, nation
Glasgow, July 26
India's Commonwealth Games 2026 silver medallist Rishikanta Singh Chanambam dedicated his historic medal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, crediting the government's support for Indian sport after producing a record-breaking performance in the men's 60kg weightlifting event in Glasgow on Sunday.
"I dedicate this silver medal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire nation," Rishikanta told IANS in an exclusive interaction after his podium finish. "I fought very hard, and today I won a silver medal. I am very happy. This medal that I won today isn't mine; it belongs to everyone, to all of India. To everyone who supported-the Indian Government, the Indian Weightlifting Federation, the supporting staff, and my circle of friends... this is for everyone."
India registered its first medal of Day 4 as Manipur's Rishikanta ,clinched the silver medal in men's 71kg weightlifting with a total combined lift of 264kg behind Malaysia's Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq who ended with 273kg. Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya completed the podium with 260kg.
Rishikanta started his campaign with a scintillating performance in snatch as he broke the Commonwealth Games record. After successfully making two lifts of 116kg and 119kg, the Indian weightlifter successfully managed to lift 121kg after facing immense pressure on his final attempt in the snatch. His spectacular lift broke the 120kg mark and briefly set him ahead of Aniq before the latter matched the mark.
The Indian began clean and jerk with a successful 143kg lift and faced some trouble with his subsequent attempt of 148kg, failing to clear. For a final shot at gold, Rishikanta requested a 151kg weight on his last lift, which he successfully cleared for a clean but it just fell short in the jerk portion. This sealed his total at 264kg.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian went on to secure a gold medal after his attempt of 149kg followed by a successful 152kg clean and jerk ultimately taking his total to a Games record of 273kg.
Though he missed out on gold, Rishikanta remained thankful to all those people who contributed towards his journey, especially his coach.
"I take my Guru's name, Vijay Sharma, under whom I train, the Indian Chief Coach. He taught us a lot about how to compete and how to train. I had no doubts about my training. I was completely focused... first, I dedicate this to our Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi because he has given a lot of benefits to our sports," he said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Silver is great, but I hope the federation looks at coaching gaps. Rishikanta failed his 148kg clean and jerk after a good start. That's where gold slipped. PM Modi's support is good, but we need better sports science at grassroots. Still, congratulations to the champ! 👏
From Manipur to Glasgow, this is a huge achievement! 121kg snatch record is no joke. The Malaysian is a beast too - 273kg Games record. But Rishikanta's humility in crediting PM Modi and his coach shows his character. We need more such athletes from Northeast India. 🇮🇳
Ek baar dedications to PM Modi toh zaroori hai, but let's not forget the real heroes - coach Vijay Sharma and his family who sacrificed. The government's TOPS scheme helped, but athlete's hard work is primary. Silver at CWG is brilliant! Let's aim for gold at Asian Games next. 💪
Great performance from Rishikanta! Breaking a CWG record in snatch at 121kg is elite level. Malaysia's Aniq just had a great day. This shows India is competitive in weightlifting - 264kg total is world class. PM Modi's sports policies are clearly working. Well done, champ! 🏋️
Honestly, I'm tired of every athlete thanking only the PM. What about the taxpayers who funded this? What about local coaches in Manipur? Rishikanta deserved the medal, but let's give credit where it's due - to his own talent
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