2 min readUpdated: Jul 27, 2026 01:41 AM IST

Raja Muthupandi won India’s fourth medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and second in weightlifting, by winning silver in men’s 65kg late on the fourth day in Glasgow. Muthupandi had a best lift of 126kg in snatch and 160kg in clean and jerk. His total lift was 286kg. Malaysia’s Aznil Bidin won gold with a Games record lift of 299kg while Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru won bronze with 282kg.

It is India’s third medal in weightlifting and fourth overall at Glasgow 2026. Rishikanta Singh had won silver earlier in the day in men’s 60kg while Mirabai Chanu later won an incredible third consecutive CWG gold in women’s 48kg. The medal marks a remarkable turnaround for Muthupandi, who has dealt with a host of injury and health setbacks in recent years. He secured a flight to Glasgow by winning the national title and setting a new national record.

Muthupandi failed to lift the 126kg with his first attempt in snatch. He did it with his second and then failed to lift 129kg with his third attempt. In clean and jerk, he failed to lift 158kg the first time around but still added two more kilos and remarkably lifted 160kg in his second attempt. He then attempted a Games record 170kg but dropped the weight before he even began his clean action.

The 26-year-old had suffered a ligament tear in his right elbow during Snatch at the at 2019 Commonwealth Championship that required surgery. This was followed by a lengthy gap in training and he could make his returning only at the 2021 National Championship where he finished 3rd and narrowly missed qualification for CWG 2022.

More to come…