July 28, 2026

Sharmila Dhankar Wins India’s First CWG Para Athletics Gold as Day 5 Surge Secures Historic High Jump Silver

Last Updated: 28 July 2026, 12:39 PM IST | Fact Checked By: SpotlightersPost Editorial Team The Indian Team celebrated a historic and deeply emotional series of athletic breakthroughs on Day 5 of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Highlighting this phenomenal run was 40 year old para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar, who overcame childhood polio and severe personal... Read More

Last Updated: 28 July 2026, 12:39 PM IST | Fact Checked By: SpotlightersPost Editorial Team

The Indian Team celebrated a historic and deeply emotional series of athletic breakthroughs on Day 5 of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Highlighting this phenomenal run was 40 year old para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar, who overcame childhood polio and severe personal adversity to capture India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in para-athletics. Sharmila Dhankar CWG Gold victory ended the country’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics medal, inspiring a spectacular single day surge that pushed India’s overall medal count into double digits.

Table of Contents

Snapshot Answer (Sharmila Dhankar CWG Gold)

TL;DR:How did India achieve history on Day 5 in Glasgow? The crowning moment came when Sharmila Dhankar CWG Gold victory in the women’s shot put F57 ended a 20 year para-athletics drought. This milestone sparked a six-medal rush, including Sarvesh Kushare High Jump Silver and a historic bronze upgrade that completed a sensational India para athletics double podium finish.

Executive Summary: India’s Glasgow 2026 Day 5 Medal Haul

On Glasgow 2026 Day 5, India brought six fresh medals across athletics, weightlifting, and para-powerlifting. This push raised the nation’s total tally to 10 medals. The following matrix details the performance, events, and categories of all Indian medalists confirmed up to Day 5 of the Games:

Glasgow 2026 Indian Medalists

Athlete Name	Event Category	Medal	Performance Mark / Weight
Mirabai Chanu	Women’s Weightlifting	Gold	First Gold Winner
Sharmila Dhankar	Women’s Shot Put F57	Gold	9.81 Metres (Season Best)
Sarvesh Kushare	Men’s High Jump	Silver	2.25 Metres
Valluri Ajaya Babu	Men’s 79kg Weightlifting	Silver	Missed Gold by 1kg
Gyaneshwari Yadav	Women’s 53kg Weightlifting	Silver	Successful CWG Debut
Rishikanta Singh	Weightlifting	Silver	Confirmed Silver Medalist
Muthupandi Raja	Weightlifting	Silver	Confirmed Silver Medalist
Shilpa Shyla	Women’s Shot Put F57	Bronze	7.26 Metres (Personal Best)
Bindyarani Devi	Weightlifting	Bronze	Confirmed Bronze Medalist
Jhandu Kumar	Para Powerlifting	Bronze	Confirmed Bronze Medalist

Golden History: How Sharmila Dhankar Won the Shot Put F57 Event

Sharmila Dhankar registered a spectacular performance to claim the women’s shot put F57 title in Glasgow. The 40 year old produced a best season throw of 9.81 metres to secure her maiden international gold, finishing comfortably ahead of Ghana’s Zinabu Issah, who took silver with a best effort of 8.65m.

This victory represented India’s second gold medal of the Glasgow Games and marked the first time an Indian woman has won a para-athletics medal in Commonwealth Games history. Speaking to The Tribune, an emotional Dhankar dedicated the gold to her mother, expressing her pride and setting her sights on competing in the upcoming Asian Games and Olympics.

The Journey from Chhithroli: Overcoming Hardships

The road to the Sharmila Dhankar CWG Gold is the story of years of perseverance through physical and personal trials. Born into a farming family in Haryana’s Chhithroli village, she contracted polio at the age of two following a high fever. Despite completing her education, her early life presented severe challenges, including a difficult first marriage and domestic violence.

She eventually rebuilt her life with the support of her family and married Rewari-based businessman Ajit Singh, who introduced her to para-athletics in 2020. Under the guidance of coach Tek Chand, she rose rapidly, winning her first national title in 2021. Although her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham 2022 ended without a medal, she returned with absolute determination to capture gold on the big stage in Scotland.

Double Podium Triumph: Shilpa Shyla’s Bronze Upgrade

The celebratory mood in the Indian camp doubled when fellow shot putter Shilpa Shyla was upgraded to the bronze medal. Shyla had registered her best personal effort of 7.26 metres to originally finish in fourth place.

However, the Indian management filed a formal post-match protest and review. The Eucharia Iyiazi disqualification review proved successful, stripping Nigeria’s veteran thrower Eucharia Iyiazi of her valid mark for a direct disqualification.

This decision upgraded Shyla to third place, completing an unprecedented India para athletics double podium finish for the country. Hailing from Bengaluru, Shyla lost the use of one leg in a road accident when she was four years old.

Raised in a financially modest household, she initially played para-volleyball before switching to para-athletics under coach Eshan S. D. Her hard earned bronze medal completed a historic double podium, marking the first time India has won two medals in the same para-athletics event at the Games.

High Jump Milestone: Sarvesh Kushare Secures Historic Silver

Shortly after the shot put finals, national record holder Sarvesh Kushare leaped into the history books at Scotstoun Stadium. By clearing a height of 2.25 metres, Kushare claimed the silver medal, becoming the first Indian high jumper in history to finish second in the event at the Commonwealth Games.

The Maharashtran born athlete entered the competition in superb form, having set a brilliant new national record of 2.31m at the National Inter-State Championships just a month prior. He navigated his opening heights with absolute confidence before matching his best clearance of the day to secure a place on the podium.

Countback Drama at Scotstoun Stadium

Kushare narrowly missed out on the gold medal due to the sport’s technical countback rules. Both Kushare and Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford cleared the height of 2.25 metres in the final. Both athletes subsequently failed all three of their attempts at 2.28m.

However, Beckford claimed the gold medal on countback because he had enjoyed a cleaner series during the competition. Specifically, the Jamaican cleared the decisive 2.25m height on his first attempt. Kushare, on the other hand, needed his third and final attempt to clear 2.25m, a difference that ultimately settled the tiebreaker in Beckford’s favor. Despite the narrow miss, the Sarvesh Kushare High Jump Silver remains an elite milestone for Indian high jump, as highlighted in reports by Republic World.

Tejaswini Shankar Hurt Before High Jump Event

India’s other high jump representatives experienced contrasting fortunes during the final. Aadarsh Ram performed consistently to finish fifth overall.

However, India’s premier high jumper and 2022 Birmingham bronze medalist Tejaswin Shankar suffered a major setback. Shankar unfortunately picked up an injury during the warm up and was forced to withdraw from the competition immediately after his opening jump.

Strength and Combat Surges: Weightlifting and Boxing Achievements

The Glasgow 2026 India Day 5 Medals surge continued to gain momentum in the strength and combat sports disciplines, with weightlifters and boxers securing additional honors for the country.

Ajaya Babu and Gyaneshwari Yadav Secure Strategic Silvers

In the men’s 79kg weightlifting class, Valluri Ajaya Babu delivered a spectacular performance, lifting a massive total to secure the silver medal. He missed out on the gold by the narrowest of margins, finishing just 1kg behind Malaysia’s Muhammad Erry Hidayat.

Earlier, Gyaneshwari Yadav opened India’s weightlifting campaign in style on her highly anticipated CWG debut. Competing in the women’s 53kg category, Yadav registered a clean series of lifts to comfortably claim the silver, proving her mettle on the international stage.

Lovlina Borgohain Guaranteed a Medal Without Playing First Round

In the boxing ring, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain is already assured of a medal for India. Competing in the women’s 75kg category, the decorated boxer received an automatic quarter-final bye. Under international boxing tournament rules, entering the semi-finals automatically guarantees at least a bronze medal, giving the Indian boxing team an early head start on the podium.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What event did Sharmila Dhankar win gold in at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?

Sharmila Dhankar won the gold medal in the women’s shot put F57 event.

Q2. What was Sharmila Dhankar’s winning mark in Glasgow?

She registered a spectacular best season throw of 9.81 metres to secure the gold.

Q3. Why is Sharmila Dhankar’s gold medal considered a historic first for India?

She is the first Indian athlete in history to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in para-athletics and the first Indian woman to win a para-athletics medal of any color at the Games.

Q4. How did Shilpa Shyla win the bronze medal after initially finishing fourth?

Shyla was upgraded to bronze after the Indian team lodged a successful post-match protest and review, which led to the disqualification of Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi and the stripping of her valid mark.

Q5. What are the personal backgrounds of Sharmila Dhankar and Shilpa Shyla?

Sharmila contracted polio at age two and overcame domestic violence before starting athletics at age 34. Shilpa lost the use of one leg in a road accident at age four and grew up in a financially modest household in Bengaluru.

Q6. What height did Sarvesh Kushare clear to win the high jump silver medal?

Sarvesh Kushare cleared a height of 2.25 metres.

Q7. Why did Sarvesh Kushare win silver instead of gold if he cleared the same height as the winner?

Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford won the gold on countback because he cleared 2.25m on his first attempt, whereas Kushare cleared it on his third attempt.

Q8. Who were India’s other high jump competitors in Glasgow?

Aadarsh Ram finished fifth, while 2022 bronze medalist Tejaswin Shankar unfortunately withdrew after his opening jump.

Q9. Which Indian weightlifters won silver medals on Day 5?

Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in the men’s 79kg category, and Gyaneshwari Yadav won silver in the women’s 53kg competition.

Q10. What is India’s overall medal tally at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Day 5?

India’s overall tally reached 10 medals (2 Gold, 5 Silver, and 3 Bronze).

Final Takeaway: A Landmark Day for Indian Para-Athletics

Day 5 at the Glasgow 2026 Games was a major turning point for Indian sports, especially for para-athletics. By winning two medals in shot put and a silver in high jump, these athletes proved they can overcome any obstacle on the world stage. Their hard work paid off and gave Indian sports a huge boost of confidence for the upcoming Asian Games and Olympics.

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