Glasgow, July 29: In a remarkable display of strength, Indian weightlifter Harjinder Kaur secured a silver medal in the women’s 69 kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 held late Tuesday night.
Harjinder lifted a total of 227 kg, starting with a snatch of 101 kg and achieving her best performance with a clean and jerk of 126 kg. Canada’s Charlotte Simonyu clinched the gold medal with a total lift of 240 kg (108 kg snatch + 132 kg clean and jerk), while Australia’s Nya Phoebe Hemman took home the bronze with a total of 218 kg (97 kg + 121 kg).
Throughout the competition, Harjinder remained in contention for a medal, solidifying her second place with her final attempt of 126 kg in the clean and jerk.
This marks India’s seventh medal in weightlifting, which includes one gold, five silvers, and one bronze. Mirabai Chanu won gold in the women’s 49 kg category, while Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, Raja Muthupandi, Valluri Ajay Babu, Gyaneshwari Yadav, and Harjinder Kaur earned silver medals. Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam has secured the only bronze medal so far.
Born on October 14, 1996, in a farming family near Nabha, Punjab, Harjinder faced financial challenges from a young age. Growing up in a one-room house, her father struggled to afford her training expenses. Despite these obstacles, her rural upbringing laid the foundation for her athletic success.
Harjinder worked tirelessly, using a hand-operated heavy fodder cutting machine for hours each day, which inadvertently built tremendous upper body strength and muscular power—traits that have proven invaluable on the lifting platform.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.