Manipur weightlifter Rishikanta Singh scripts CWG record to gift India coveted silver medal in 60kg category

India’s search for its first gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games is still on, as Chanambam Rishikanta Singh secured a hard-fought silver medal in the men's 60kg weightlifting event on July 26.

Rishikanta Singh clinches CWG silver

Rishikanta went head-to-head with Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Bin Kasdan, with both lifters setting a new Games record in the snatch section by successfully managing 121kg. However, the contest shifted during the clean & jerk phase, where Kasdan pulled ahead with a dominant, record-breaking lift of 152kg compared to Rishikanta's best effort of 143kg.

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Kasdan took the top spot on the podium with a combined total of 273kg, while Rishikanta’s overall 264kg earned him second place, ahead of Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya, who picked up bronze with a 260kg total. The silver marks a significant career milestone for Rishikanta, a product of the Indian Army's sports system who has risen through the ranks in the lower weight classes. Having missed out on a medal in his Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022 in the 55kg category, this podium finish represents a strong turnaround on the international stage.

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Rishikanta’s transition to the men’s 60kg division marked a major turning point in his career, culminating in a standout performance at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad. Sweeping the gold medal, he set a new national record with a commanding total lift of 271kg—comprising a 120kg snatch and a 151kg clean & jerk. This performance not only highlighted his growth in the heavier class but also guaranteed him direct qualification for major international events.

India's medal tally reaches two

Building on that momentum, he went on to represent the nation at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships in Forde, Norway. Through these back-to-back appearances on the global stage, Rishikanta has firmly established himself as a central figure in the future of India's weightlifting program.

By capturing silver, Rishikanta etched his name in the record books as the first Indian athlete to claim a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His historic effort doubles India's overall count to two medals, building on the momentum started by para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, who secured the nation's opening bronze on day one.