Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 58kg event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Monday, extending India’s impressive run in weightlifting and taking the country’s overall medal tally to six.
The 27-year-old lifter from Manipur finished with a total lift of 199kg, comprising 87kg in the snatch and 112kg in the clean and jerk, to secure her second consecutive Commonwealth Games medal after winning silver in the 55kg category at the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal successfully defended her Commonwealth title, winning the gold medal with a Games record total of 229kg (103kg snatch and 126kg clean and jerk). Canada’s Ann Sophie Taschereau claimed the silver medal with a total lift of 215kg.
Bindyarani opened her campaign confidently after her coaching staff reduced her opening snatch attempt from 85kg to 83kg. She cleared 83kg comfortably before successfully lifting 85kg and 87kg in her subsequent attempts. She finished the snatch phase tied with England’s Eliza Pratt on 87kg but stayed ahead on countback.
The clean and jerk competition proved more dramatic. Bindyarani’s opening attempt at 110kg was initially declared successful but was overturned after a jury review because of an elbow buckle during the jerk phase. The setback did not deter the Indian lifter, who bounced back with successful lifts of 110kg and 112kg, taking her total to 199kg and moving into medal contention.
She made one final attempt at 116kg in pursuit of a personal best and a higher finish but was unable to complete the lift. Her total, however, was enough to secure the bronze medal, while England’s Eliza Pratt finished fourth with 196kg.
Although Bindyarani’s total fell short of her personal best of 208kg, the bronze marked another significant achievement in her career, particularly after overcoming a knee injury in 2023 and adapting to changes between the 55kg and 58kg weight categories.
The medal further strengthened India’s dominance in weightlifting at the Glasgow Games. Earlier on Monday, Gyaneshwari Yadav won silver in the women’s 53kg event, while on Sunday, Mirabai Chanu claimed gold in the women’s 49kg category and Muthupandi Raja secured silver in the men’s 65kg event. Rishikanta Singh also won silver in the men’s 60kg category, while para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar had opened India’s medal account with a bronze.
With Bindyarani’s podium finish, India now has six medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026 – one gold, three silver and two bronze.
Congratulating the weightlifter, Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said in a post on X, “Grit, grip, and glory! Many congratulations to Bindyarani Devi on winning a Bronze medal in the Women’s 58kg category and securing India’s fifth medal in Weightlifting. Keep making the nation proud.”
(With agency inputs)
