Glasgow, July 24: India will begin its weightlifting campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 with a blend of experienced champions and emerging talent, aiming to maintain its reputation as one of the sport’s strongest nations at the Games.
The weightlifting competition will be held from July 26 to July 30 at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. All events will be conducted as direct medal finals, with athletes competing in the snatch and clean and jerk disciplines to determine the winners based on their combined total.
Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu will lead the Indian challenge in the women’s 48kg category.
The veteran lifter is aiming to secure her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal after topping the podium in the previous two editions.
Having recovered from a shoulder injury that sidelined her earlier this year, she enters the competition among the leading contenders in her category.
India’s campaign will also feature several experienced athletes, including Bindyarani Devi, Harjinder Kaur, and Lovepreet Singh, all of whom have previously won Commonwealth Games medals.
They will be joined by a number of young lifters making their Games debut, reflecting a balance of experience and fresh talent in the national squad.
The Indian contingent comprises 11 weightlifters, a smaller squad than in previous editions following anti-doping-related setbacks during the selection process.
Despite the reduced team size, officials remain optimistic about India’s chances of winning medals across multiple weight categories.
Weightlifting has traditionally been one of India’s most successful sports at the Commonwealth Games.
The country produced a strong performance in recent editions, consistently finishing among the leading nations in the medal standings for the discipline.
With seasoned performers targeting podium finishes and newcomers eager to make their mark, India’s weightlifting team will look to make a significant contribution to the country’s overall medal tally when competition gets underway in Glasgow this weekend.
