The javelin runway at the Commonwealth Games has historically been a stage of familiar scripts, but a seismic shift under the stadium lights has rewritten the hierarchy of global throwing. Yes, the Lankan is now King, and his name is Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage.

Pathirage seized the gold medal with an authoritative, soaring throw of 89.75 meters, leaving a stunned field trailing in his wake. Long gone are the days when the event felt like a closed bilateral conversation. The young Sri Lankan phenom, whose meteoric rise this season has kept the athletics world on edge, delivered a super performance under pressure with poise. When the spear left his hand, it carried not just momentum, but a clear message to the old guard: a new titan has arrived to claim the throne.

India secured a commendable 2-3 podium finish, anchored by Neeraj Chopra’s silver. Chopra fought hard, posting a season-best of 85.83 meters, displaying the resilience of a seasoned champion who refuses to yield easily. Yet, sport is relentlessly unforgiving. It is a harsh theatre where you either fight back with everything you have or sit back and watch your crown being stripped away, one majestic throw at a time. Chopra understands this dynamic better than anyone, recognizing that the standards of global excellence have shifted upward once again.

The absolute surprise of the pack, however, came from further down the Indian ranks. Yash Vir Singh authored the fairytale script of the night, pulling out a stunning personal best of 85.41 meters in the final round. Singh unleashed the ace of his life when it mattered most, leapfrogging world-class contenders to capture a sensational bronze medal. It was a breakthrough moment that announced Singh as a formidable new force on the international circuit.

Further back, the narrative was defined by the shocking fall of former giants. Olympic Champion Arshad Nadeem had a night to forget, failing to even crack the top eight after a disjointed series of throws. Similarly, former Olympic Champion and present World Champion Keshorn Walcott laboured through the evening, muted and off-colour, eventually having to settle for a distant sixth place.

As the dust settled on a dramatic night of track and field, the landscape of men’s javelin had fundamentally transformed. For Chopra and the rest of the elite, the gauntlet has officially been thrown.

 

India celebrated another successful evening on the athletics track at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s triple jump final.

Praveen produced his best jump of 16.58m, while Selva cleared 16.52m, as Jamaica’s Jordan Scott claimed the gold medal with a winning effort of 16.72m.

The double podium finish takes India’s athletics medal tally to nine at the Games and continues the country’s impressive record in the event. At the previous Commonwealth Games, Indian triple jumpers had also secured two medals, winning gold and silver.

The final was a closely contested affair with momentum swinging throughout the competition.

Selva made the early breakthrough, improving from 16.17m in the second round to move into third place and establish himself firmly in medal contention. After three rounds, he remained third with a best of 16.47m, while Praveen was fifth after managing 16.31m.

The competition turned dramatically in the fourth round when Praveen, the Indian national record holder, unleashed a superb 16.58m effort to surge into the lead. At the same time, Selva appeared to have produced a massive jump of his own, only for it to be ruled a foul by the narrowest of margins—just 1 centimetre.

Both Indians responded strongly in the fifth round. Praveen backed up his leading mark with a 16.40m jump, while Selva produced a brilliant 16.52m to climb back into the medal positions.

However, Jordan Scott delivered when it mattered most, recording 16.72m to move ahead of Praveen and seal the Commonwealth title. Praveen settled for silver, with Selva completing the podium by taking bronze.

The result underlines India’s growing strength in the men’s triple jump, with two athletes once again standing on the Commonwealth Games podium and continuing the nation’s rich recent tradition in the event.

By Sundeep Misra

Jamaica’s Samantha Hall produced a commanding performance in the women’s discus throw final at Scotstoun Stadium to capture the gold medal. Canada’s rising talent Julia Tunks claimed silver, while India’s Seema Kaliramna completed a remarkable comeback by securing the bronze medal.

​In a tense contest where several throwers struggled with consistency in difficult ring conditions, Hall delivered a decisive throw of 61.66 meters in the penultimate round to firmly lock up top spot on the podium. The Jamaican national champion, who entered the competition as one of the title favorites, displayed steady poise throughout the series, steadily building momentum before launching her winning mark.
​Eighteen-year-old Canadian standout Julia Tunks pushed Hall early in the competition, launching a distance of 60.67 meters in the second round. That mark held strong for the duration of the event, earning Tunks her first major international senior podium finish with a deserving silver medal.
​For India’s Seema, the bronze medal was a testament to grit and composure. Returning to top-flight international athletics following motherhood and balancing a PhD in physical education, the 27-year-old opened with a fouled attempt before responding with a throw of 57.32 meters in the second round. She elevated her performance further in the third round, recording her best mark of the night at 58.65 meters.
Though fouls hampered her final three attempts, Seema’s third-round effort proved sufficient to keep her on the podium. Compatriot Nidhi Rani finished just outside medal contention in fourth place with a best effort of 57.10 meters.
​”It was very tough getting back to the field,” Seema noted after the final. Her achievement marks India’s ninth Commonwealth Games medal in women’s discus throw history, highlighting the nation’s enduring strength in the discipline.
​With Hall’s victory continuing Jamaica’s strong track and field presence in throw events and Tunks showcasing bright prospects for Canada, the final delivered a thrilling showcase of power and resilience across generations.

By Sundeep Misra


GLASGOW — Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi snatched a dramatic victory in the men’s shot put final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, launching a stunning fifth-round throw of 21.07 metres to dethrone defending champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand.

​The high-caliber final at Scotstoun Stadium delivered drama from the opening round. Walsh, the two-time defending champion, laid down an immediate marker on his very first attempt, sending the iron ball out to 21.03m. For most of the night, that opening salvo looked potent enough to secure a third consecutive Commonwealth crown for the Kiwi thrower.
​However, Enekwechi, the African record holder who had smoothly qualified for the final with a single throw a day earlier, stayed within striking distance throughout the competition. After hovering near the top positions with consistent throws above 20 metres, the Nigerian produced his decisive masterpiece in the fifth round.
With explosive technique, Enekwechi threw 21.07m to edge ahead of Walsh by just four centimeters, securing Nigeria’s eighth gold medal of the Games. Walsh was unable to respond in his final attempts and settled for the silver medal with his 21.03m effort. England’s Scott Lincoln rounded out the podium, taking bronze with a best mark of 20.99m.
​For Team India, the final proved to be a story of unfulfilled promise as national record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor and young prospect Samardeep Singh Gill finished down the order, keeping India’s wait for a maiden Commonwealth Games shot put medal intact.
​Both Indians had entered the medal round with encouraging momentum following strong qualifying performances. Toor had qualified second overall with a 20.14m throw, while Samardeep booked his spot among the top 12 with a 19.95m effort.
​In the final, Samardeep started steadily with 19.56m before pushing his distance to 19.63m in the second attempt. He breached the 20-metre barrier in his third attempt with a 20.03m throw, but with the level of competition rising rapidly, he was unable to move up the leaderboard and ultimately finished seventh overall.
​Toor opened his account with a solid 20.06m to briefly hold third place before slipping down as rival throwers found their rhythm. The Asian champion staged a mid-competition fightback in the fourth round, recording his best distance of the evening at 20.27m to move back into fifth position.
Needing a massive throw to push into medal contention alongside Enekwechi, Walsh, and Lincoln, Toor followed up with 20.26m in the fifth round before closing with 19.79m, settling for fifth place overall.
​While the Indian camp departed without a medal, Enekwechi’s fifth-round heroics will go down as one of the standout field-event performances of the Glasgow Games.

India will have three representatives in the men’s javelin throw final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, marking the first time ever that the country has qualified three athletes for the event’s medal round.

Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yashvir all advanced to Friday’s (31 July) final after finishing among the top 12 performers in a challenging qualification round in Glasgow.

The qualification competition proved to be a test of resilience rather than distance, with strong headwinds preventing athletes from producing their best throws. As a result, no thrower managed to achieve the automatic qualification standard of 84.00m, meaning all finalists progressed based on their overall rankings.

Indian Qualification Results

  • Neeraj Chopra – 79.61m (5th)
  • Rohit Yadav – 78.37m (9th)
  • Yashvir – 78.36m (10th)

Neeraj improved from an opening-round throw of 76.28m to 79.61m, comfortably securing his place in the final. Rohit also built on his first effort of 77.04m, adding more than a metre to finish with 78.37m, while Yashvir improved from 73.89m to 78.36m, ensuring all three Indians advanced.

Earlier in the competition, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage led the field with an impressive 82.84m, while South Africa’s Douw Smit occupied second place with 80.64m after the opening round. Despite multiple attempts, no athlete was able to breach the 84-metre automatic qualifying mark as the headwind continued to hamper performances throughout the session.

Pathirage ultimately topped the qualification standings with his opening throw of 82.84m, the best mark of the day.

The historic qualification gives India three genuine contenders in the final, with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra leading the charge alongside the in-form Rohit Yadav and Yashvir, who produced one of the strongest performances of his international career to book his place.

The men’s javelin throw final will be held on 31 July, where India will aim to convert its unprecedented three-athlete representation into another Commonwealth Games medal.

In a gripping showcase of grit, technique, and resilience at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India’s star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured a historic silver medal with a best leap of 8.09 metres. The achievement marks his second consecutive CWG silver following his podium finish at Birmingham 2022, officially cementing him as the first Indian athlete in history to capture two Commonwealth Games medals in the men’s long jump.

​The victory carried profound personal weight for the 27-year-old. Just over two years prior, a severe patellar tendon rupture in early 2024 required major surgery, tragically ruling Sreeshankar out of the Paris Olympics and casting doubts over his athletic future. His performance in Glasgow served as an undeniable, triumphant declaration of his return to world-class form.

​From the opening round, the men’s final was an intense, high-calibre duel among top international talent. Sreeshankar set a strong foundation on his first approach with a clean 8.03m jump, immediately placing himself among the early frontrunners. On his second attempt, the Indian star found perfect acceleration on the runway, hitting the board cleanly to propel himself to 8.09m and take temporary control of the gold medal position.

The contest swung sharply in the fourth round. Jamaica’s former world champion, Tajay Gayle, unleashed a massive 8.15m attempt to snatch the lead. Sreeshankar pushed hard to respond, putting everything into his remaining attempts. Though two red flags for marginal board oversteps curtailed his momentum, his second-round mark of 8.09m held strong against the rest of the field. Local Scottish favourite Stephen Mackenzie clinched bronze with an 8.08m leap, falling just a single centimetre short of Sreeshankar’s mark. Meanwhile, India’s Lokesh Satyanathan put in a commendable performance to finish fifth overall with a jump of 7.97m.

​Sreeshankar’s back-to-back CWG silver medals underscore a remarkable era of consistency for Indian track and field on the global stage. Battling back from career-threatening adversity to deliver an 8m plus effort under high-stakes pressure reinforces Sreeshankar’s standing among India’s elite track and field athletes.

India will be represented by two athletes in the men’s shot put final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after both Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Gill successfully secured qualification in Glasgow.

While Toor comfortably achieved the automatic qualifying standard, Samardeep advanced on the basis of his overall ranking after a strong performance across the two qualification groups.

Toor Clears Automatic Mark

Former Commonwealth champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor booked his place in the final with a throw of 20.14m, surpassing the automatic qualification standard of 20.00m on his second attempt.

The effort saw him finish second overall in the qualification round and ensured a stress-free passage to the medal contest.

Only four athletes managed to achieve the automatic qualifying distance, highlighting the quality required to secure direct qualification.

Samardeep Advances on Ranking

Competing in the other qualification group, Samardeep Gill registered a best throw of 19.95m, narrowly missing the automatic mark by just five centimetres.

However, the throw proved more than enough to earn him a place in the final. Samardeep finished fifth overall across both qualification groups, advancing as one of the next best performers after the automatic qualifiers.

With only four athletes clearing 20.00m, the remaining places in the 12-man final were filled based on the best distances achieved by the rest of the field, allowing Samardeep to progress comfortably.

Qualification Format

The qualification standard for the men’s shot put was set at 20.00m.

Athletes who achieved the automatic mark (Q) advanced directly to the final, while the remaining places in the 12-athlete final were awarded to the next best performers (q) across both qualification groups.

With both Toor and Samardeep advancing, India will have two opportunities to challenge for a podium finish in the final.

Toor brings a wealth of international experience and has consistently been one of Asia’s leading shot putters, while Samardeep arrives in the final after demonstrating impressive consistency to secure qualification despite narrowly missing the automatic standard.

The presence of two Indian finalists strengthens the country’s medal prospects as the men’s shot put final promises to be one of the standout field events of the Commonwealth Games athletics programme.

India’s Pooja saw her campaign in the women’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 come to an end after failing to clear 1.82m in difficult weather conditions in Glasgow.

Competing in persistent rain, strong winds and chilly temperatures, the 19-year-old produced a determined display to negotiate the opening heights. She cleared 1.72m comfortably before going over 1.77m on her second attempt, keeping herself in contention despite the challenging conditions.

However, 1.82m proved elusive, ending her competition on a night when the weather tested every athlete in the field.

The progression of heights in the final was:
1.72m, 1.77m, 1.82m, 1.87m, 1.90m, 1.93m, 1.96m, 1.99m and 2.02m.

The wet and windy conditions made the competition particularly demanding. Between attempts, Pooja could be seen immediately putting on her cap and warm clothing to prevent her muscles from cooling down before her next jump.

She was assisted throughout the competition by Yoandri Betanzos, the World Championships triple jump silver medallist and JSW’s foreign jumps expert, who worked closely with her during the final.

At just 19 years old, Pooja was the youngest competitor in the women’s high jump final, gaining valuable experience on one of the biggest stages in international athletics.

She arrived in Glasgow after a breakthrough season in which she rewrote the Indian record books, clearing 1.93m to set a new national record and establish herself among Asia’s leading high jumpers.

Her achievements over the past year include:

The consistent performances have underlined her reputation as one of India’s brightest young athletics talents.

Eugene Next

There is little time to reflect on her Commonwealth Games outing.

Pooja will now travel directly to Eugene, USA, where she will represent India at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026. After a remarkable season highlighted by her national record of 1.93m, she will look to carry that form onto the global junior stage.

Although the Glasgow final did not produce the result she had hoped for, the experience of competing against senior international opposition in difficult conditions adds another important chapter to the development of one of India’s most promising field athletes.

 

By Sundeep Misra


At 2.25 metres, two jumps binned, it seemed curtains for Sarvesh Kushare. Up to that point, every mark had been cleared in a single, fluid rush of air. Then came the third attempt. Kushare sailed, the bar trembled on its pegs, and the few diehard Indian fans suffocated on their own breath. Then, a collective exhale – the bar held. ​The bar moved to 2.28m.

Three men remained: a Brit, a Jamaican, and an Indian. Decades ago, long before the Commonwealth found its modern sporting identity, the podium hierarchy would have been pre-written. Not this time. England’s Kimani Jack faded after two misses, settling for bronze. Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford and Kushare both hit a wall at 2.28m, failing to clear.

Sarvesh had the final jump of the competition, but the gold slipped through his fingers. It came down to the painful arithmetic of countback: Beckford had cleared 2.25m on his first try, Sarvesh on his third. That single aberration, call it an error, cost him the top step. ​Silver, though, was a triumph and the story behind it ran deeper than the result sheet. ​Earlier in the evening, Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) had withdrawn from the event leaving open the tantalizing question of what a fully fit TJ might have achieved alongside him. But instead of retreating to the warm-up track or the quiet of the athlete’s lounge, TJ stayed.

He sat on the athlete’s bench at the edge of the apron, refusing to leave Kushare’s side. ​Between every run-up, as the stadium light flickered and the cold evening breeze swirled across the pit, the two exchanged tips. TJ wasn’t just offering empty encouragement; the former national record holder was watching and dissecting the jumps. Stride adjustments, angle of Sarvesh’s plant foot would have been scanned and corrections made. High jump is a solitary discipline; one athlete, a crossbar, and the sky.

TJ and Sarvesh made it a team event. Silver was secured not just on pure adrenaline but on a shared brotherhood forged under the floodlights.

For more visit Commonwealth Games 2026

There are medals that are won on the field. And then there are moments that remind us why sport means so much beyond the podium.

Moments after winning India’s silver medal in the men’s high jump at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth GamesSarvesh Kushare wasn’t talking about his career-best performance or how narrowly he had missed out on gold.

Instead, he spoke about a teammate.

“Tejaswin supported me a lot today.”

Kushare had just cleared 2.25m, matching Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford, only to lose the gold on countback after requiring three attempts at the height. It was the finest Commonwealth Games performance of his career.

Yet his first instinct was to thank Tejaswin Shankar.

Earlier in the evening, Shankar’s own campaign had ended in heartbreak.

The defending Commonwealth bronze medallist was unable to clear his opening height of 2.05m and withdrew from the competition. It was a painful exit for one of India’s most accomplished high jumpers, who later admitted the disappointment still hurt.

“It’s one of those things that really stings.”

The emotion was evident as he spoke to the media. Few understand better than elite athletes how years of preparation can unravel in a matter of minutes.

But rather than retreat after his own disappointment, Shankar chose to stay.

He remained by the high jump pit for the rest of the competition, cheering every successful attempt by his Indian teammates. Every clearance by Sarvesh Kushare and Aadarsh Ram was met with encouragement from a teammate who, despite seeing his own medal hopes disappear, never stopped believing in theirs.

That support did not go unnoticed.

When Sarvesh stood on the podium with a Commonwealth silver medal around his neck, he made sure the world knew who had helped him get there.

It was a reminder that athletics is often portrayed as an individual sport, but behind every athlete is a network of coaches, family and teammates who celebrate every success and shoulder every disappointment together.

Shankar’s Commonwealth Games journey is not over. He is set to return to competition when the decathlon begins on 30 July, carrying with him not just the disappointment of the high jump, but also the admiration of teammates who witnessed his character in defeat.

For Sarvesh, the silver medal will always be remembered as the night he came within a countback of Commonwealth gold.

For many watching, it will also be remembered as the night one Indian athlete’s heartbreak became another Indian athlete’s strength.

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