CHENNAI: After Mirabai Chanu, Bindyarani Devi was the most experienced campaigner in the women's weightlifting squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Given the fact that she had clinched a silver medal in the 55kg weight category in the previous edition in Birmingham, expectations were high from the Manipur lifter. Competing in the 58kg, the 27-year-old once again managed to finish on the podium but a competitive field meant she finished with a bronze.
"The fight was really tough in the 58kg weight category," Vijay Sharma, India's weightlifting head coach, told this daily from Glasgow. Bindyarani completed all three attempts with ease in the snatch section. She started with a lift of 83kg and followed it up with 85kg in the next attempt. The last attempt was 87kg and she successfully lifted the weight to stay in medal contention.
Rafiatu Folashade Lawan of Nigeria demolished the field as she lifted 95kg in the first snatch attempt and took it beyond her competitors' reach by lifting 100kg and 103kg in the next two attempts. Her effort saw her set Games and Commonwealth records. Canada's Ann Sophie Tascheraeu faltered in her first two attempts but lifted 94kg to finish second after the snatch section.
Bindyarani attempted to lift 110kg in the first clean and jerk section but failed. At one time, the Indian lifter was competing for bronze against England's Eliza Pratt, who eventually finished fourth with a total of 196kg (87kg+109kg). Bindyarani lifted 112kg in her second attempt to return to the top three. She tried for 116kg in her final attempt but could not complete the lift.
Nigeria's best lift in the C&J section was 126kg, which again was a Games record. Her total of 229kg was also Games record. Canada's Ann Sophie, meanwhile, lifted 121kg in her final C&J attempt to secure the silver medal.
"Had she managed to complete the two lifts in the clean and jerk section, the total could have been better. But again, as I said in the beginning, the competition was tough and a bronze medal here is good," added the coach.
Bindyarani's medal was the sixth medal for the country in weightlifting. They have won a gold, three silver and a bronze so far. It all started with Rishikanta Singh finishing second in the men's 60kg on Sunday. Champion lifter Mirabai Chanu then completed a hat-trick of CWG gold when she finished on top of the podium in 48kg. Tamil Nadu's lifter made it three in a day by bagging silver in the 65kg on Sunday night. On Monday, before Bindyarani, Gyaneshwari Devi had clinched silver in the 53kg.
