India’s performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games would largely focus on the haul of 39 medals, including 13 gold. But the 17 silver medals tell a story of their own. Some of them are a case study of ‘what could have been’, some others a gold lost, while some others broke new ground.
Indian track and field athletes won a total of 10 medals, surpassing the mark of eight medals in the 2022 edition. There was no gold this time, and the haul included five silver and five bronze medals.
Gulveer Singh outpacing Africans and holding his nerve in the last 200m of a long-distance event is arguably one of the best moments for Indian athletics in recent times. The 27-year-old from Uttar Pradesh won a silver in the 10,000m and a bronze in 5,000m stamping his claim as a genuine medal contender at the global level. Gulveer’s performance comes on the back of his consistent participation in several elite-level races over the past two years. While the upcoming Asian Games may be an easier proposition for Gulveer given the relative lack of top-level competition, he needs to participate in events like the Diamond League and Gold Continental tour events.
Consistency personified
Neeraj Chopra, Javelin Throw
India’s Neeraj Chopra competes in the Men’s Javelin Throw at the Commonwealth Games 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (PTI Photo)
Returning after a long injury layoff, Neeraj Chopra was competing in a stacked field with the likes of Rumesh Pathirage, Arshad Nadeem, Keshorn Walcott and Anderson Peters. Neeraj produced a season-best throw of 85.83m in his second attempt only to be upstaged by world leader Pathirage, who threw 89.75m. There is nothing to analyse in Neeraj’s medal apart from the fact that he still has got the big-event temperament to win medals. The silver reaffirms the fact that he remains one of the most consistent throwers in the world. He will have a chance to get the better of Pathirage at the Asian Games, where Nadeem will also be present.
Just the beginning
Sarvesh Kushare, High Jump
Sarvesh Anil Kushare in action in the men’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. (AP Photo)
Sarvesh Anil Kushare is one of the most improved Indian athletes at the global level. In Glasgow, he jumped 2.25m to win the silver medal as Jamaican Romaine Beckford took the gold on countback. It may be seen as a gold medal lost as Sarvesh had cleared 2.31m to break the national record at the Inter- State National Championships in June. However, given this is his first major medal, he is likely to improve further and has the Asian Games to look forward to.
Need his best at big events
Sreeshankar Murali, Long Jump
India’s Murali Sreeshankar makes an attempt during the men’s long jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday, July 30, 2026. (PTI Photo)
One of the most consistent Indian athletes over the last one year, Sreeshankar was disappointed after his last jump despite winning his second Commonwealth Games silver medal. He jumped 8.09m to finish behind Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle (8.15m). Sreeshankar had recorded a leap of 8.38m at the Inter-State National Championships but couldn’t repeat that performance in Glasgow. He now needs to figure out how to get bigger jumps at major events and will now target the Asian Games, where he won a silver in 2023.
Need to replicate his best
Praveen Chithravel, Triple Jump
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India’s Praveen Chithravel competes in the men’s triple jump final at the Commonwealth Games. (AP Photo)
It was redemption for the triple jumper from Tamil Nadu, who had finished agonisingly close to the podium in the 2022 edition. In Glasgow, he jumped 16.58m to finish behind Jordan Scott of Jamaica. While it was a monkey off Chithravel’s back, his effort was nowhere close to what he is capable of. Chithravel failed to replicate his domestic form at global events, with his personal best being 17.37m. He won the bronze at the 2023 Asian Games. If he wants to change the colour of the medal, he will have to cross 17m.
Rapid improvement
Yamini Mourya, 57 kg
India’s Yamini Mourya clinched a silver medal in the women’s 57 kg judo at the Commonwealth Games 2026. (PTI photo)
It was a historic campaign for India, winning two gold medals for the first time. But the silver for Yamini is also a big achievement. With this medal, she has built a strong resume of international medals. She built on her success at the World University Games, where her bronze was the first medal won by an Indian judoka. While the Asian Games would be tougher, she will draw confidence from her performance at the Asian Championships, where she lost in the bronze medal match.
Gamble successful
Jadumani Singh – 55kg
India’s Jadumani Singh celebrates after winning a men’s 55kg quarterfinal boxing match against Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale. (PTI)
His performance deserves more appreciation than the medal itself. Having moved up from 50kg to 55kg this year with the 2028 Olympics cycle in mind, the Manipuri overcame doubts over his size to reach the CWG final. He strung together four victories, beating boxers from Scotland, Pakistan, Zambia and Namibia before losing to Australia’s Jye Dixon in the gold-medal bout. The weight transition had already yielded a national title and international medals, but Glasgow validated the gamble.
Nothing new to learn
Lovlina Borgohain – 75kg
Lovlina Borgohain won a silver medal in the women’s 75kg category at CWG 2026. (AP Photo)
Lovlina Borgohain was assured of a medal even before she entered the ring. Her category had just five boxers, and the Indian got a first-round bye, which meant a direct entry into the semifinals. Facing a boxer from Tuvalu can hardly qualify as a proper test. The Olympic bronze medallist, as expected, reached the final, where – in her only challenge of the competition – she lost to two-time Worlds medallist Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree. We didn’t learn anything new about Lovlina at Glasgow 2026. The Asian Games will provide a more accurate reflection of where she stands.
Tough task
Narender Berwal – 90kg
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India’s Narender Berwal in action at CWG 2026. (AP)
The heavyweight divisions have rarely been India’s strongest suit internationally, and Narender Berwal’s silver reinforces this point. At the CWG level, Indians seem good enough to reach the super heavyweight division final but not strong enough to clinch gold. This was the third consecutive instance of an Indian boxer reaching the final of this category, only to lose there. Before Berwal, it was Satish Kumar in 2018 and Sagar Ahlawat in 2022. This trend will be tough to change at the Asiad and world tournaments, where the Indians often fall short against physically-imposing heavyweights.
Mirabai Chanu got a good workout ahead of her pursuit of an elusive Asian Games medal with a CWG gold. But the silvers hold long-term potential, after changes in weight categories and plenty of hard work.
Long way to go
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, 60kg
Rishikanta Singh in action. (PTI Photo)
Manipur’s first male lifter to medal at CWG, his 121kg Snatch was a Games record. But the good news ends there. He missed gold (won by Malaysia’s Aniq Kasdan – 121 S + 152 C&J = 273kg), after a knee problem flared up. Coach Vijay Sharma says he was capable of 155 in clean & jerk. The North Korean winner at the last Asian meet lifted 304 total, 3kg short of the world record.
But 60kg is not even an Olympic category, so 65kg is the target where the last Asian gold was won with 329kg. Rishikanta will need to go 135+ in Snatch and 175+ in C&J at least, to get into that bracket (He Yeuji WR – 150+183).
Full of potential
Gyaneshwari Yadav, 53kg
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India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav competes during the women’s 53kg weightlifting final at CWG 2026. (PTI Photo)
Her total lift of 199kg (88 S + 111 C&J) was 7kg short of the gold. Impressively, she had 6/6 good lifts. So, her prospects are good. At the Asiad, she will be challenged by Chinese Zhao Jinlan (most recent: 95+121) and Vietnamese Hoai Huong (87+108). At the Olympics, it’s the lowest category for women. So once Mirabai moves up from 49, Gyaneshwari will need to step up to 61kg.
Carrying family tradition
Ajay Babu Valluri, 79kg
Ajaya Babu took India’s weightlifting medal tally at CWG 2026 to six. (Sony LIV screenshot)
149+181 for a total of 330kg was a good start for the 21-year-old from north Andhra, whose father won bronze at Delhi 2010. He missed gold by just 1 kg after setting a snatch record. However, the North Koreans and Chinese are in the range of 345 to 364kg, going by the Asian Championships. Their Snatch scores are at least 8kg over Ajay’s, while Ri Rong-hyon regularly lifts 25kg more in C&J. The Indian will need to move up to 85kg, or drop to 75, the former more likely.
Chance missed
Lovepreet Singh, 110+ kg
India’s Lovepreet Singh competes in the men’s +110kg weightlifting final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday, July 30, 2026. (AP Photo)
No Indian had ever lifted 176kg in Snatch, so Lovepreet’s silver at 388kg (212 C&J) is outstanding, even if he missed gold by a mere 1kg. He has gone up 33kg in total since Birmingham, and is a pathbreaker in super heavyweights where India has traditionally been weak. His duel with Kiwi David Liti was one of the entertainment highlights of the Games. Iran’s Alireza Yousefi, though, has the world standard at 477kg (218+261) set at Gandhinagar’s Asian Championships in May, and will show up at Aichi Nagoya, a full 89kg ahead.
Injury trouble
Raja Muthupandi, 65kg
Raja Muthupandi won India’s second weightlifting medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. (Sony LIV screenshot)
Won silver at 286kg (126+160) despite a persistent shoulder problem. But the Asian mark is at 150+183, so an Asiad medal looks tough in Aichi-Nagoya.
Asiad, a bridge too far
Harjinder Kaur, 69kg
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India’s Harjinder Kaur gestures after completing her final attempt in the Women’s 69kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Harjinder won the silver medal in the event. (PTI Photo)
Her silver at 227kg (101+126) was an improvement on her bronze from Birmingham. At age 29, she did well but was 8kg off the pace for gold. North Korean Song Kuk Hyang lifted 263kg (112+151) at the Asian meet in Gandhinagar, a 11+25kg deficit that’s hard to overcome in two months.
