CWG 2026: Rishikanta Singh Wins Silver After Games Record in Snatch, Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Claims Gold

India's Rishikanta Singh produced one of the standout performances of the Commonwealth Games 2026 weightlifting competition, winning the silver medal in the men's 60kg category after setting a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch.

Although Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq fought back with a sensational clean and jerk display to secure the gold medal, Rishikanta's silver added another medal to India's tally and underlined his emergence as one of the country's brightest weightlifting talents.

The Malaysian lifter eventually finished with a Games record total of 273kg, while Rishikanta settled for silver after a combined lift of 264kg. Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya claimed the bronze medal with 260kg.

For Rishikanta, however, the competition will be remembered as much for his fearless challenge to the defending champion as for the medal itself.

The competition began with several lower-ranked lifters attempting to establish early benchmarks before the favourites entered the arena.

Athletes from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, England, Singapore, Canada, Uganda and Sri Lanka all battled through the opening phase, with Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya emerging as the strongest among the early contenders after successfully lifting 115kg, a new personal best. As the bar climbed into medal territory, attention shifted to the two overwhelming favourites—India's Rishikanta Singh and Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq.

The duel everyone had anticipated was finally ready to begin.

Rishikanta opened conservatively at 116kg, adjusting his planned opening attempt after observing the earlier competition. Although there was a slight wobble overhead, the Indian completed the lift comfortably and immediately put pressure on his Malaysian rival. Aniq also opened successfully but looked surprisingly unsettled despite being capable of lifting significantly heavier weights.

The contrast became even clearer in the second round. Rishikanta confidently cleared 119kg, making the lift appear almost effortless before celebrating with both arms raised. Moments later, Aniq also lifted 119kg, but his attempt lacked the same fluidity and suggested he was working much harder. It was clear the Indian had gained the psychological advantage.

With confidence soaring, Rishikanta opted for history. The existing Commonwealth Games snatch record stood at 120kg.

The Indian requested 121kg for his third attempt. Displaying exceptional technique and remarkable composure, Rishikanta powered the bar overhead with authority before holding it securely for the referees' signal. Three white lights confirmed a successful lift.

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The 121kg effort established a new Commonwealth Games record, sparking celebrations in the Indian camp. Not to be outdone, Mohamad Aniq successfully matched the weight on his final attempt, equalling the Games record and ensuring the contest would be decided in the clean and jerk.

At the halfway stage, however, Rishikanta held the advantage.

The clean and jerk promised to decide the gold medal. Malaysia's Aniq, widely regarded as one of the world's strongest lifters in this discipline, entered at 145kg and made a comfortable start.

Meanwhile, bronze medal contender Joshua Mboya successfully cleared 145kg, almost guaranteeing himself a podium finish. Rishikanta opened at 143kg, receiving two white lights to successfully register his first lift. The successful opener maintained India's position in the gold medal race.

The contest intensified as the weights increased. Rishikanta attempted 148kg, a lift that would have strengthened his hold on the overall lead. Despite bringing the bar cleanly to his shoulders, he struggled to stabilise before the jerk and eventually released the weight. The failed attempt gave Aniq the opening he had been waiting for.

Aniq Produces Championship Finish

The Malaysian responded like a champion. Already assured of the gold medal after clearing 149kg, Aniq decided to chase history rather than settle for victory. He revised his final attempt to 152kg, knowing it would establish a new Commonwealth Games total record. With the crowd watching intently, Aniq completed the lift before breaking into an emotional celebration.

His successful 152kg clean and jerk gave him a combined total of 273kg, rewriting the Commonwealth Games record books. It was a fitting finish from the reigning world-class lifter.

Rishikanta made one final attempt at 151kg, needing the massive lift to reclaim the gold. He successfully cleaned the weight onto his shoulders but was unable to complete the jerk despite several adjustments. Realising the effort had taken everything out of him, the Indian let the bar fall, accepting the silver medal with applause from the crowd.

Although the gold narrowly slipped away, Rishikanta's performance deserved enormous praise. The Indian did not merely compete for silver—he actively challenged one of the world's finest weightlifters throughout the competition. His Games-record snatch displayed outstanding technical quality, while his willingness to attempt increasingly ambitious weights reflected both confidence and ambition. The failed 151kg attempt should not overshadow the overall performance.

Instead, it highlighted an athlete determined to fight for gold until the very last lift.

India has enjoyed sustained success in weightlifting over the past decade, and Rishikanta Singh's silver medal is another encouraging sign for the future of the sport. Still early in his international career, the Indian demonstrated that he possesses the technical ability and competitive temperament to challenge world-class opposition. Setting a Commonwealth Games snatch record against a field that included reigning world championship medallists underlines the progress he has made.

While Mohamad Aniq ultimately proved too strong in his favoured clean and jerk discipline, Rishikanta ensured the battle for gold remained alive until the competition's closing moments. His silver medal, coupled with a Commonwealth Games record in the snatch, represents one of the finest performances of his career and reinforces India's growing strength in international weightlifting. On another day, the gold may well have been his, but even in defeat, Rishikanta left Glasgow having announced himself as one of the sport's rising stars.