Glasgow: India’s athletics campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 gets underway on Monday with several leading contenders aiming for podium finishes across athletics, weightlifting, boxing, swimming, gymnastics and para sports. The day’s biggest attraction will be the men’s high jump final, where three Indian athletes will compete for medals.
National record holder Sarvesh Kushare, former record holder Tejaswin Shankar and Aadarsh Ram Jothi Shankar will represent India in the high jump final. Kushare enters the competition in outstanding form after clearing 2.31 metres earlier this month to surpass Shankar’s eight-year-old national record. He also heads into Glasgow following a third-place finish at the Monaco Diamond League. Shankar, the bronze medallist at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, remains one of India’s most accomplished jumpers despite shifting much of his focus to the decathlon in recent years.
Sprint hurdler Tejas Shirse, another national record holder, will begin his campaign in the men’s 110m hurdles heats, with the final scheduled later in the evening for athletes who qualify.
India will also be represented by Gurindervir Singh in the men’s 100m heats, while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Murali Sreeshankar and Lokesh Sathyanathan will compete in the men’s long jump qualification.
Weightlifting continues to be one of India’s strongest medal prospects after an impressive start to the Games. Gyaneshwari Yadav will compete in the women’s 53kg final, Bindyarani Devi, the Birmingham 2022 silver medallist, will contest the women’s 58kg event, while Valluri Ajaya Babu will feature in the men’s 79kg final.
India’s lifters have already enjoyed a successful campaign, with Mirabai Chanu winning gold in the women’s 48kg category, while Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi secured silver medals in the men’s 60kg and 65kg events respectively.
In artistic gymnastics, Protistha Samanta will compete in the women’s vault final, with Olympian Pranati Nayak named as reserve. Swathish KP is also listed as reserve for the men’s rings final.
India’s boxing team has a busy schedule with four round-of-16 contests. Sachin Siwach faces England’s William Hewitt in the men’s 60kg division, Ankush takes on Zalaan Jan of Antigua and Barbuda in the men’s 80kg category, Sakshi Chaudhary meets Botswana’s Commonwealth Games medallist Lethabo Modukanele in the women’s 51kg bout, and Sumit Kundu will square off against Jon McConnell of Northern Ireland in the men’s 70kg division.
In swimming, Olympian Sajan Prakash will compete in the men’s 200m butterfly heats and could return for the final if he qualifies. Aryan Nehra will contest the men’s 800m freestyle final, while para swimmer Swatik Patil will compete in the men’s SB9 100m breaststroke.
India will also have medal opportunities in para athletics, with Shilpa Kanchugarakoppalu Shyla and Sharmila competing in the women’s F57 shot put final, while Rakeshbhai Bhatt and Shreyansh Trivedi will line up in the men’s T38 100m final.
Meanwhile, in bowls, Putul Sonowal will conclude his sectional campaign against Kenya’s Anwar Hamada after his hopes of reaching the semi-finals ended on Sunday.
With athletics officially joining the competition and multiple medal events scheduled throughout the day, India will be looking to build on its strong start and significantly boost its medal tally at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
