Who are India's top medal contenders at Commonwealth Games 2026?

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.

The Indian contingent will face a different challenge at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Medal-winning sports like hockey, table tennis, and badminton are not part of this ten-sport tournament. As a result, athletes in other sports are under immense pressure to perform well for the country. The Indian contingent will depend on a few star athletes to win medals.

So, let’s take a look at the top five Indian athletes who are most likely to win a medal for the country based on recent international performances, titles won, and historical domination:

5. Rohit Yadav (Men’s Javelin Throw)

Since the Indian athlete will carry the heaviest burden of winning a medal this year, Rohit Yadav also has a genuine chance of winning one alongside Neeraj Chopra. He has performed consistently well and broke the meet record at the Inter-State Championship with a throw of 87.05m.

This distance has helped him become one of the world’s top javelin throwers. If he maintains his sublime form and throws a significant distance at the upcoming tournament, then India can finish in the top two in the men’s javelin category.

4. Praveen Chithravel (Men’s Triple Jump)

Indian athletics has witnessed significant growth in field events, and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel will try to repeat his domestic heroics at international events. He will enter the Glasgow Games in sublime form.

Chithravel won a gold medal at the Inter-State Athletics Championships with a jump of 16.92m. He also won silver medals at the Asian Athletics Championships and the World University Games. He has the skills to produce his best performance in the final round of the jump format, and that can help him win a medal.

3. Preeti Pawar (Women’s 54kg Boxing)

This 22-year-old boxing sensation has been in sublime form ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Competing in the 54kg division, Pawar has become quite dominant in international tournaments.

She won a gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championships, where she showcased her aggressive ring style and tactical flexibility. She also achieved magnificent victories against several world champions.

With her clinical reflexes and aggressive punching rate, she will enter the upcoming tournament as a strong contender for a boxing medal.

2. Mirabai Chanu (Women’s 48kg Weightlifting)

She is considered a living legend in weightlifting at this tournament. She has already won two gold medals in the quadrennial event and is on the verge of a historic hat-trick in the women’s 48kg category.

After returning from a long injury layoff, Chanu has made a brilliant comeback. Her clean-and-jerk strength and snatch skills have made her stand apart in this tournament. Despite a few unwanted setbacks, she is on the verge of winning another medal for the country in weightlifting.

1. Neeraj Chopra (Men’s Javelin Throw)

Neeraj Chopra is still the country’s safest medal contender in international tournaments. He missed the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham due to a last-minute injury. But the double Olympic medalist will try to reclaim the Commonwealth medal he won in 2018.

He has received provisional fitness clearance after a short recovery from his back injury. In an event that usually features javelin throwers from Grenada and Pakistan, his dominance in major tournaments and consistent throws beyond 85m have made him the favourite to win a medal at the upcoming Games.

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