Commonwealth Games 2026: Who are India's medal contenders today, July 26 (Day 3)?
Mirabai Chanu will aim to defend her gold from the last edition
The secondday of action at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow produced a historic breakthrough alongside competitive performances across venues.
In para powerlifting, Jhandu Kumar opened India’s medal account at the Games by capturing a bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight final with a successful lift of 190kg. The achievement marked India’s first-ever podium finish in para powerlifting at the Commonwealth Games.
Over in the pool, two-time Olympian Srihari Nataraj advanced from his heat before concluding his 50m backstroke campaign in the semi-finals, clocking 25.29 seconds to finish 11th overall.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 3 (July 26)
Meanwhile, on the rinks, the veteran duo of Pinki Singh and Rupa Rani Tirkey continued their steady run in the Women’s Pairs sectional play, and Sachin Siwach scored a bright win on the ring to advance in the Men’s 60kg boxing division.
As we transition to Sunday, July 26 (Day 3), the Indian contingent enters a crucial phase of competition, filled with pivotal qualification bouts and direct hardware opportunities.
In preliminary fixtures at the Commonwealth Games 2026, Pinki Singh and Rupa Rani Tirkey face a demanding double header in the women’s pairs against Namibia and host nation England, while Putul Sonowal takes on Malta in the men’s singles.
The boxing ring features three high stakes Round of 16 encounters: Preeti Pawar opens her campaign against Malawi’s veteran pugilist in the Women’s 54kg division, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam meets rival opposition from Pakistan in the Men’s 55kg weight class, and Aditya Pratap Singh steps onto the canvas against Uganda in the Men’s 65kg category.
India’s medal contenders on Day 3 (July 26) in Commonwealth Games 2026
Direct medal contention on Day 3 is anchored by weightlifting, where India fields strong candidates across three separate weight divisions.
Weightlifting – Rishikanta Singh, Mirabai Chanu, M Raja
Kicking off the afternoon platform, Rishikanta Singh competes in the men’s 60kg final, targeting a podium finish against tough competition from Malaysia and Samoa.
Later in the evening, two-time Commonwealth Games champion and Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu takes centre stage in the Women’s 48kg final as India’s primary gold medal prospect.
She’ll aim to execute clean lifts in the snatch and clean-and-jerk to hold off top contenders from Nigeria and Canada.
Closing out the platform events, M. Raja enters the Men’s 65 kg final, competing against an elite international field for top honours.
Artistic Gymnastics – Tapan Mohanty, Yogeshwar Singh
In gymnastics, Tapan Mohanty and Yogeshwar Singh step into the arena for the men’s individual all-around final, aiming to execute clean routines across six apparatuses against world-class European and Commonwealth opposition.
The women’s individual all-around final follows in the late evening session, offering potential hardware subject to preliminary qualification rankings.
Swimming – Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final [Sajan Prakash, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh S Gowda, Dhakshan Shashikumar, Srihari Nataraj]**
Rounding out the night, the Indian quartet of Sajan Prakash, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh S. Gowda, Dhakshan Shashikumar, and Srihari Nataraj will compete in Heat 2 of the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
A strong tactical swim in the afternoon heats would propel the relay squad into the late-night men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final, capping off a high-stakes Day 3 for India in Glasgow.
When will Day 3 (July 26) begin at the Commonwealth Games 2026?
India’s action on day 3 [July 26] of the Commonwealth Games 2026 will start at 1:00 pm IST, with the lawn bowls and para-bowls event.
Which Indian athletes will contend for medals on Day 3 of Commonwealth Games 2026?
Swimmers Sajan Prakash, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh S Gowda, Dhakshan Shashikumar, and Srihari Nataraj will hope to reach the final first and put themselves in position to contest a medal match, while Rishikanta Singh, Mirabai Chanu, and M. Raja will play their respective weightlifting finals.
How many medals can India win on Day 3 of Commonwealth Games 2026?
On Saturday, India will have the opportunity to win six medals, if things go their way.
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Ankhi is a passionate sports journalist and content strategist, contributing to Khel Now since August 2023. With a love for sports that began at age three and a keen eye for storytelling, she combines creativity with journalistic integrity in her work.