Indian Weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav Wins Silver In Women’s 53 kg Final At CWG 2026

CWG 2026: Indian weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav won the silver medal in the Women’s 53 kg final on her maiden Commonwealth Games appearance. She arrived at the Commonwealth Games in impressive form, having already enjoyed success on the international stage. The gold medal went to African champion Onome Didih of Nigeria, who set a Commonwealth Games record in the snatch (93 kg) and the clean and jerk (113 kg) individually.

Combined, the Nigerian weightlifter lifted a total of 206 kg and bagged the gold medal. Yadav, who gave the Nigerian weightlifter a tough fight till the final lift, had briefly set a new Commonwealth Games record in the 53 kg class before Didih’s final record-shattering responses. But the Indian weightlifter managed to improve her personal best with a total lift of 199 kg (snatch + clean & jerk).

Earlier this year, the Indian weightlifter won bronze at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships, registering a combined lift of 194kg. She followed it up with an outstanding performance at the Universal Weightlifting Cup 2026, where she clinched the gold medal with another combined lift of 194kg, underlining her consistency in the women’s 53kg category. Earlier, she had also finished fifth at the 2024 World Weightlifting Championships, recording a total lift of 182kg against some of the world’s best competitors.

Gyaneshwari Yadav’s Rise Fuelled By Government Help

Gyaneshwari Yadav’s rise has been backed by extensive support from the Government of India under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC). In preparation for the Commonwealth Games, Gyaneshwari trained at the National Coaching Camp in Patiala before attending an acclimatization camp at the Warley Weightlifting Club in Birmingham.

She also received financial assistance for competing at the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar and the Universal Weightlifting Cup in Samoa. Since the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she has received ₹4.75 lakh under TOPS and ₹19.22 lakh under ACTC. The government has also supported her participation in multiple international events, including the Junior World Championships, Junior Asian Championships, and Senior Asian Championships, helping her establish herself as one of India’s leading weightlifters.