'It's a mix of happiness and sadness': Ajaya Babu reflects on CWG 2026 silver after missing gold by 1kg
Glasgow, July 28
Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu described his Commonwealth Games 2026 silver medal as "a mix of happiness and sadness" after narrowly missing out on the gold in the men's 79kg event, promising to learn from his mistakes and come back stronger in future competitions.
Speaking to ANI after his medal-winning performance in Glasgow, Ajaya said, "It is a mix of happiness and sadness, as I missed out on the gold. However, I performed better today. I feel that a mistake cost me the gold today. I will ensure I don't repeat this error in future competitions and will work even harder for upcoming games. The journey to reach this point was incredibly hard. I have put in immense hard work over the last two years. I am happy to have earned the silver as a result of that effort, though there is a tinge of sadness about missing the gold. I dedicate this medal to my coaches, my father, and the entire nation of India."
The 22-year-old from Kondavelagada village in Andhra Pradesh delivered a spirited performance to finish second with a total lift of 330kg (149kg in snatch and 181kg in clean and jerk), falling just one kilogram short of Malaysia's Muhammad Erry Hidayat, who claimed gold with 331kg after producing a Games-record clean and jerk lift of 184kg.
Scotland's Chris Murray secured the bronze medal with a total of 325kg (148kg in snatch and 177kg in clean and jerk).
Ajaya made a dream start by setting a Commonwealth Games record of 149kg in the snatch, putting himself in contention for the gold medal. However, Hidayat produced a clutch performance in the clean and jerk to edge past the Indian by a solitary kilogram.
The silver medal was another proud moment for Ajaya's family. His father had won bronze in weightlifting at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the young lifter surpassed that feat by claiming silver in Glasgow.
Ajaya also continued the rich sporting tradition of his native Kondavelagada village in Andhra Pradesh, which has produced 20 national and 13 international weightlifters.
The Indian had entered the Games in impressive form after defeating Hidayat at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships earlier this year with a total of 335kg, compared to the Malaysian's 333kg. Although Hidayat reversed the result in Glasgow, Ajaya once again demonstrated his ability to compete with the world's best.
India enjoyed another successful day on the weightlifting platform, with Gyaneshwari Yadav winning silver in the women's 53kg category and Bindyarani Devi claiming bronze in the women's 58kg event.
India have now won six medals in weightlifting at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games -- one gold, four silver and one bronze.
India's medal winners so far are Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, women's shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, men's high jump), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa Shyla (bronze, women's shot put F57) and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Such a bittersweet moment for Ajaya. It's wonderful that he dedicated the medal to his coaches, father, and the nation. But I wish the coaches had helped him with the clean and jerk strategy better—one kilogram is such a small margin! Still, proud of our Indian weightlifters. They're bringing home so many medals this CWG! 👏
That's a tough loss, but silver at 22 is nothing to sneeze at. India's weightlifting program is clearly paying off—Kondavelagada village producing 20 national and 13 international lifters is phenomenal. Hidayat was clutch, but Ajaya has time on his side. The next Olympics should be interesting.
One kg... arrey yaar, that must hurt! But this is what sport is all about—learning from mistakes. Ajaya Babu's father winning bronze in 2010 and now son winning silver in 2026—what a family legacy! The entire country is proud. Next time, that gold is yours, bhai! 💪
Great performance and a fantastic attitude from Ajaya. The way he handled the loss with grace and promised to work harder shows real sportsmanship. I also appreciate that his village has become a powerhouse for weightlifting—that's how you build a sporting culture, from the grassroots up! 🇮🇳
Wow, 1kg difference after setting a Games record in snatch—that's heartbreak. But I'm impressed by India's overall haul in weightlifting: one gold,
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