India’s Six Athletics Gold Medals in Commonwealth Games History

India has featured in 18 editions of the Commonwealth Games, winning more than 500 medals across all sports.

India first participated in 1934, when the event was known as the British Empire Games. The country’s first-ever medal came through Rashid Anwar, who won bronze in the men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling event.

1) Milkha Singh: The first athletics gold came at the 1958 Commonwealth Games. India won two gold medals overall—Milkha Singh produced an iconic victory in the men’s 400m, while Lila Ram won gold in wrestling.

After Milkha’s triumph, India had to wait 52 years for its next Commonwealth Games athletics gold.

2) Krishna Poonia – 2010 Commonwealth Games (Discus Throw)

Competing in front of the home crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, Krishna Poonia won gold with a throw of 61.51m. It was India’s first athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 42 years. The achievement was made even more memorable as India completed a podium sweep in the women’s discus throw by winning gold, silver, and bronze.

3) India’s Women’s 4x400m Relay – 2010 Commonwealth Games

The quartet of Ashwini Akkunji, Sini Jose, Manjeet Kaur, and Mandeep Kaur won gold in front of the home crowd, clocking 3:27.77 to claim the Commonwealth title in New Delhi.

4) Vikas Gowda – 2014 Commonwealth Games (Discus Throw)

One of India’s greatest field athletes and the country’s most successful male discus thrower, Vikas Gowda won gold in the men’s discus throw with a mark of 63.64m. After settling for silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, he returned four years later to claim the title. With this victory, he became the first Indian man to win a Commonwealth Games athletics gold medal since Milkha Singh in 1958.

5) Neeraj Chopra – 2018 Commonwealth Games (Javelin Throw)

Neeraj Chopra created history at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast by becoming the first Indian to win the men’s javelin throw gold medal at the Games. He secured the title with a season-best throw of 86.47m. He is also set to represent India in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in the javelin throw.

6) Eldhose Paul – 2022 Commonwealth Games (Triple Jump)

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Kerala’s Eldhose Paul won gold in the men’s triple jump with a wind-assisted 17.03m. Fellow Indian Abdulla Aboobacker claimed silver with 17.02m, making it an Indian one-two finish. Eldhose’s winning margin was just one centimetre, making it one of the closest finishes in Commonwealth Games history for the event.

Comparison Table  1958 → 2010 → 2010 → 2014 → 2018 → 2022

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