CWG 2026: Vishal TK through to 400m semifinals, Srihari Nataraj advances in 50m freestyle
Glasgow, July 28
India's Vishal TK progressed to the men's 400m semifinals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday after a strong performance in the heats, while swimmer Srihari Nataraj also secured a place in the next round of the men's 50m freestyle event, according to ESPN.
Vishal clocked 46.49 seconds to finish second in his heat and comfortably clear the qualification mark of 46.62 seconds. The Indian sprinter, who earlier this year became the first athlete from the country to breach the 45-second barrier in the men's 400m, continued his impressive run of form to seal a semifinal berth. He was the 14th-fastest qualifier overall, with only Vishal and Jamaica's Amal Glasgow advancing from the heat, accoridng to ESPN.
Rajesh Ramesh narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot in the men's 400m. Rajesh finished his heat with a time of 47.43 seconds, initially placing 12th overall with three heats remaining. However, five athletes went faster in the next heat, pushing him to 17th place and ending his campaign.
In swimming, Srihari Nataraj advanced to the men's 50m freestyle semifinals after finishing fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 55.58 seconds. He finished 1.46 seconds behind heat winner and gold medal favourite Pieter Coetze, but his performance was enough to secure qualification.
Meanwhile, Sajan Prakash failed to make the semifinals of the men's 50m butterfly after finishing last in his heat with a time of 24.94 seconds. Sajan finished 28th overall among 70 swimmers, with a time faster than 24.25 seconds required to break into the top 16.
India also enjoyed success in the para swimming events, with Karthik Budigina (26.33) and Ali Imam (28.41) qualifying for the men's 50m freestyle S13 final. Budigina finished sixth fastest in the heats, while Ali secured the eighth spot to book their places in the medal race.
With Vishal and Srihari progressing, India will continue its push for medals in athletics and swimming as the Commonwealth Games action continues in Glasgow.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Sad to see Rajesh Ramesh miss out by just a few spots. The heats are always tough with so many athletes. But this is a learning experience for him – he's young and has a bright future ahead. Keep going! 🙌
Srihari Nataraj continues to impress in the pool! 55.58 seconds is a solid time, especially against a gold medal favourite like Coetze. And the para swimmers Karthik and Ali making the final – that's the real spirit of the Games! 🏊♂️💪
Good to see Indian athletes competing at this level. But I wish our swimming federation would invest more in grassroots coaching. Sajan Prakash finishing last in his heat shows we still have a long way to go in butterfly events. Positive steps, but need more consistency. 🌊
Vishal TK is a proper talent! From breaking the national record to now performing on the CWG stage – this is the kind of progress we need to see more of. And the para swimmers are true champions. India is shining in multiple disciplines! 🇮🇳✨
Honestly, 46.49 seconds is decent but he'll need to shave off more in the semis to challenge the top runners. The Jamaican Amal Glasgow will be tough. But I'm proud of all our athletes – every single one who made it to Glasgow is a hero! Let's hope for medals! 🏅
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