CWG: Boxers shine with 7 gold, best show by judokas
Boxers punched their way to a record-breaking haul of seven gold medals, while judokas and para track and field athletes also shone on the most productive day for India in the Commonwealth Games here on Saturday.
On the penultimate day of competitions, India jumped to the fourth spot in the medal table with 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze for a total of 39 podium finishes. Australia led the medal table with 62 gold medals, followed by England (26 gold) and Canada (18 gold).
Out of the eight golds won by the Indians, boxers contributed seven in their best-ever show in the Commonwealth Games. India topped the boxing medal table with seven gold and three silver.
The other gold was won by Soman Rana in the men’s F57 para shot put event.
In the boxing ring, India reigned supreme with their women pugilists living up to their billing with a dominant five-gold haul, while Sachin Siwach and Ankush Panghal sealed the men’s titles as the country produced its greatest-ever performance in the sport at the Commonwealth Games. Reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Asian Games medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg), Asian champion Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) won gold medals, while Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) settled for silver.
In the men’s competition, Sachin (60kg) and Ankush (70kg) struck gold, while Jadumani Singh (55kg) and Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (+90kg) finished with silver medals.
India’s previous best boxing campaign at the Commonwealth Games came in Gold Coast in 2018, when it won seven medals, including three gold. In judo, Unnati Sharma clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 63kg event to continue the country’s historic run at the Commonwealth Games. Unnati defeated South Africa’s Skye Knoester by ippon, wrapping up the contest in just 1 minute and 7 seconds with a decisive move, hooking her leg to unbalance Knoester before throwing her cleanly onto her back to earn an ippon -- the highest score in judo -- and seal the bout instantly The Indian had earlier gone down to Australia’s Saya Middleton in the semifinal but bounced back strongly to secure a place on the podium with an emphatic victory.
The bronze was India’s fourth medal in judo, continuing the country’s best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign in the sport. The historic run was led by Harsh Singh (men’s -60kg) and Asmita Dey (women’s -48kg), who became India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold medallists with twin titles on Saturday.
Yamini Mourya added a silver in the women’s -57kg category, giving India their record haul.
India will have a chance to add to their record tally on the concluding day on Sunday, with Ishroop Narang (women’s -78kg), Avtar Singh (men’s -100kg) and Yash Ghangas (men’s +100kg) all in medal contention.
