CWG 2026 July 28 wrap: Gulveer’s landmark 10,000m silver leads India’s strong day
Gulveer Singh’s historic long-distance track silver and Harjinder Kaur’s weightlifting grit headlined India’s campaign on July 28 at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Alongside two official podium finishes, the Indian contingent also secured three guaranteed boxing medals as three pugilists powered into the semi-finals. CWG Day 5 Highlights
The late-night surge in Scotland lifted India’s total medal tally to 12, comprising two gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals, keeping the nation firmly in the top 10 (nine) of the medal standings.
GULVEER’S HISTORIC 10,000m SILVER
The defining performance of the day belonged to 26-year-old Gulveer Singh, who delivered a landmark display in the men’s 10,000m final at the Alexander Stadium track. Operating in relentless Scottish rain, Gulveer executed a calculated race tactic, staying tucked inside the lead pack for the majority of the 25-lap contest.
As the bell rang for the final 400 metres, Australia’s Ky Robinson made a decisive surge for gold. Gulveer produced a blistering final-lap sprint, charging up the home straight to cross the line in 27:49.78 to claim the silver medal. Isle of Man’s David Mullarkey took the bronze.
Gulveer’s effort made him the first Indian male athlete in Commonwealth Games history to win a long-distance track medal. In a historic shift for the event at the Games, no African distance runner made the podium for the first time since 1986, marking a shift in the long distance race.
HARJINDER KAUR LIFTS A SILVER
India’s weightlifting dominance continued to bear fruit at the SEC Centre, with Birmingham 2022 bronze medallist Harjinder Kaur upgrading her hardware to silver in the women’s 69kg category.
Harjinder registered a total lift of 221kg, snatching 101kg before executing a crucial 120kg clean and jerk under immense pressure. Her composure ensured India’s seventh weightlifting medal of the Glasgow Games, reinforcing the discipline as the bedrock of the country’s multi-sport success.
Canada’s 21-year-old Charlotte Simoneau claimed the gold medal with a Games-record effort, while Australia’s Olivia Hayman secured bronze.
BOXING: THREE MEDALS GUARANTEED
With losing semi-finalists in Commonwealth Games boxing automatically receiving bronze medals, India’s boxing contingent enjoyed a crucial quarter-final round on July 28, locking in at least three guaranteed medals.
Three young boxers confirmed their medals on Tuesday.
Men’s 55kg: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam
In the bantamweight quarter-finals, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam put on a tactical clinic against Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale. Mandengbam controlled the distance with a crisp jab and sharp counter-punching across all three rounds, sweeping the judges’ scorecards to claim a unanimous decision and book his place in the semi-finals.
Women’s 60kg: Priya Ghanghas
Priya Ghanghas faced a hostile local crowd when she stepped into the ring against Scotland’s Niamh Mitchell. Showing zero signs of stage fright, Ghanghas dominated the inside exchanges, using heavy body shots and upper-body movement to overpower Mitchell, taking a clear decision victory to confirm her podium place.
Women’s 54kg: Preeti Pawar
World number three Preeti Pawar continued her steady run through the bantamweight bracket, putting together combination punches and swift footwork to out-box her quarter-final opponent and advance into the final four.
DISAPPOINTMENTS IN UPPER WEIGHTS
The evening session was not without setbacks. In the women’s 65kg quarter-final, Parveen Hooda suffered a tough unanimous loss to England’s top-seeded Sacha Hickey. Shortly after, heavy-hitting Kapil Pokhariya exited the men’s 90kg competition following a 5-0 decision defeat against Scotland’s Robert McNulty.
OTHER RESULTS IN A GLANCE
Beyond the medal events, Indian athletes experienced mixed results across track, field, and pool events:
High Jump: In the women’s high jump final, Pooja Singh, who broke the national record earlier this year, finished eighth after clearing 1.77m. The competition was severely interrupted by a hour-long downpour, and Singh was unable to convert her three attempts at 1.82m upon resumption.
Sprint Heats: Vishal TK impressed in the men’s 400m heats, clocking a solid performance in Heat 6 to advance to the semi-finals. However, national teammate Rajesh Ramesh failed to progress after finishing third in his respective heat.
Swimming: Srihari Nataraj bowed out in the semi-finals of the men’s 100m backstroke. Nataraj touched the wall in 55.52 seconds in his heat, placing 12th overall across both semi-finals and missing out on the eight-man final. Olympian Sajan Prakash also exited during the men’s 50m butterfly heats.
Lawn Bowls: Veteran bowler Nayanmoni Saikia dropped her Section C women’s singles match against Wales’ Amy Williams in straight sets (8-7, 10-1).
– Ends
