Speaking to The Indian Express, Shilpa, who uses a prosthetic leg, said, “I did spend tense moments at the competition, but I was prepared for it. I wanted to give my best, and I did, though even now I feel I could have done much better.”

F57 is a para-athletics classification event for seated athletes with lower limb impairments. Though Shilpa recorded a personal best throw of 7.26 metres at the Games, she initially finished in fourth place, just outside the podium. However, following a successful protest lodged by the Indian contingent, the third-place throw of 8.19 metres by Nigeria’s defending champion Eucharia Iyiazi was ruled a foul and disqualified.

India thus dominated the F57 podium, with Sharmila Dhankar claiming the gold (9.81 metres) alongside Shilpa’s bronze. Zinabu Issah of Ghana (7.26 metres) won the silver medal.

“It took some time for me to digest that I was a medal winner,” Shilpa said. “The struggles I endured growing up with one leg, attending school, dealing with people who looked down on me, alongside those who believed in me and encouraged me at every level, all of it came back to me.”

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar congratulated the athlete on X, writing: “Heartiest congratulations to Karnataka’s own Shilpa K S on winning the bronze medal in the women’s F57 Shot Put at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Your remarkable achievement is a proud moment for Karnataka and the nation. Your determination, resilience, and unwavering spirit will inspire countless young athletes to dream big and strive for excellence.”

Heartiest congratulations to Karnataka’s own Shilpa K. Shyla on winning the Bronze Medal in the Women’s F57 Shot Put at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Your remarkable achievement is a proud moment for Karnataka and the nation. Your determination, resilience and unwavering spirit… pic.twitter.com/VRVBPuEw7p

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) July 28, 2026

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para-athlete quotas

Shilpa urged the government to extend sports quota reservations to para-athletes. “While athletes under the sports quota secure jobs, many para-athletes who excel at the international level are left out. The government must consider and encourage them to take up sports seriously,” she added.

Shilpa also shared the emotional toll of balancing her international commitments with family hardship. She flew out to Glasgow on the very day her elder sister underwent surgery at a Bengaluru hospital. “She encouraged me, and it was hard to leave her during such a tough time, but she was overjoyed that I was representing India on the international stage.”

Who is K S Shilpa?

Born to farming parents Shantha and Shaila in Kanchigara Koppalu village, Krishnarajanagar taluk, Mysuru district, Shilpa lost her left leg in a truck accident in 1993.

After completing her Master of Education (MEd), she worked as a teacher before turning to sports. She initially tried volleyball for disabled athletes before transitioning to shot put and discus throw. Trained by Arjuna Awardee coach S D Eshan and supported by Raghavendra S G, joint secretary of the Karnataka Sports Association for the physically handicapped, Shilpa has steadily built an impressive international resume.

She first tasted international success in 2024 by winning silver and bronze medals at a tournament in Thailand, followed by a gold medal at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi in 2025. She secured her ticket to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after winning a bronze medal at the Fazza International World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai earlier this year.