Commonwealth Games 2026: Lovpreet Wins Silver, Seema Bags Bronze; India Reaches 17-Medal Mark

Commonwealth Games 2026: India added two more medals to its tally on Day 8 of the Commonwealth Games as Lovepreet Singh clinched a silver medal in weightlifting and Seema Kaliraman secured bronze in the women's discus throw. With these performances, India's medal count has risen to 17 medals (3 Gold, 10 Silver, 4 Bronze), placing the country 10th in the overall standings.

Lovepreet Singh Wins Silver, Misses Gold by Just 1kg

Weightlifter Lovepreet Singh delivered an outstanding performance in the men's heavyweight category, lifting a combined 388kg to claim the silver medal.

He successfully lifted:

176kg in Snatch (Commonwealth Games record)

212kg in Clean & Jerk

Lovepreet narrowly missed the gold medal by just one kilogram.

New Zealand's David Liti claimed the gold with a Games record total of 389kg (166kg + 223kg), while England's Andrew Griffiths took bronze with 356kg.

From Selling Vegetables to Winning Commonwealth Games Medal

Lovepreet's journey is one of determination and resilience.

Born in Punjab's Amritsar district, he supported his family by working in the fields, selling vegetables alongside his grandfather, and caring for the family's mare used in wedding processions.

Inspired by local weightlifters at the age of 13, he began training despite limited resources. His dedication earned him a place at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Camp in Patiala in 2017, paving the way for his international success.

Seema Kaliraman Wins Bronze After Inspirational Comeback

India's Seema Kaliraman secured the bronze medal in the women's discus throw with a best effort of 58.65 metres, achieved on her third attempt.

Jamaica's Samantha Hall won gold with 61.66m, while Canada's Julia Tunks claimed silver with 60.67m. Fellow Indian Nidhi Rani narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth.

Remarkable Return After Injury and Motherhood

Seema's medal marks a remarkable comeback after overcoming multiple challenges.

The 27-year-old returned to elite athletics after becoming a mother and recovering from a serious knee injury that kept her away from competition for more than three years.

Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Physical Education at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Bhiwani, Seema returned strongly by winning gold at the 2025 South Asian Athletics Championships and recording a personal best of 59.73m in 2026.

Neeraj Chopra Reaches Javelin Final

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra comfortably qualified for the men's javelin throw final.

Neeraj recorded:

First throw: 76.28m

Second throw: 79.61m

Skipped third attempt

He finished fifth in qualification, while Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem also progressed with a best throw of 78.63m.

India's Rohit Yadav (78.37m) and Yash Vir Singh (78.36m) also advanced to the final.

Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage topped the qualification standings with 82.84m.

India's Medal Tally at Commonwealth Games 2026

After Day 8: