New Delhi: India’s Jhandu Kumar won the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para-powerlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday, securing India’s medal at the Games
Delivering a stellar performance in the final, Jhandu finished third with 130.9 points. Nigeria’s Riluwan Idris won the gold medal with 132.8 points, while England’s Matthew Harding secured the silver with 131.0 points, finishing just ahead of the Indian lifter by a narrow margin. Competing in Group B, Jhandu topped the group before entering the race for a medal. His persistent efforts helped him secure a spot on the podium amidst stiff competition.
A para-powerlifter from Bihar’s Nalanda district journeyed to the international stage while overcoming numerous challenges. He began his sporting career in para-athletics but later shifted his focus to para-powerlifting, emerging as one of India’s promising athletes.
Earlier, India’s Ashok Malik narrowly missed out on a medal in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event; he recorded a best lift of 200 kg but finished in fourth place.
