Commonwealth Games Day 4: Rishikanta Singh Chanambam wins silver in weightlifting event

India’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam on Sunday (July 26) won India’s second medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after clinching a silver in the men’s 60 kg weightlifting event.

Rishikanta was adjudged second after he was unable to lift his all-or-nothing lift of 151 kgs, and managed a combined weight of 264 kgs across the snatch and clean and jerk events.

Record-breaking performance

The 27-year-old weightlifter, who broke the Commonwealth Games record in the snatch event with a lift of 121 kgs, could manage to lift only 143 kgs on his only successful clean and jerk attempt.

India’s first medal – a bronze – at the Glasgow event was won by Jhandu Kumar in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting on July 24.

Earlier in the day on Sunday, women’s lawn bowl pair comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh suffered their first defeat at the games after losing to Namibia’s Amanda Steenkamp and Diana Viljoen in a Group B match. They, however, can still qualify for the semifinals in the women’s pairs.

Awaited bouts

The latter part of the day will see Indian Olympian Mirabai Chanu targeting a third consecutive Commonwealth medal.

A medal is also assured to boxer Lovlina Borgohain as she got a direct entry into the semi-final following a bye in the quarter-final.

With athletics beginning Monday, Olympian Neeraj Chopra will be up against reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan and Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage of Sri Lanka in a marquee men’s javelin clash.

All eyes on Neeraj

Besides Chopra, other Indian gold medal contenders are long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, a silver medallist at the 2022 CWG in Birmingham, and high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, who recently set the national record of 2.31m.

The Indian team management is hoping for two medals each in men’s javelin, long jump, high jump and triple jump, besides podium finishes in men’s 10,000m, decathlon and women’s 10,000m race walk.

The men’s 100m hurdles and shot put as well as women’s 3000m steeplechase may also fetch India medals, which could take the haul past the eight (1 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) won last time in Birmingham.