Glasgow: India's Rishikanta Singh Chanambam attempts a lift during the men's 60kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday, July 26, 2026. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee)
Glasgow, July 26 (IANS) When Rishikanta Singh Chanambam stepped onto the weightlifting platform in Glasgow at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, he was carrying more than just a barbell. The 28-year-old was carrying years of relentless training, a journey that began in the lanes of Imphal, and the expectations of a nation looking for another weightlifting hero.
On Sunday, Rishikanta delivered once again. He clinched the silver medal in the men's 60kg event with a combined lift of 264kg, giving India its first medal of Day 4. More significantly, he etched his name into the Commonwealth Games record books by lifting 121kg in the snatch, surpassing the previous Games mark before Malaysia's Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq matched the feat later in the competition.
The silver medal was another milestone in a career built on persistence, steady progression and an unwavering commitment to the sport.
Born on July 5, 1998, in Ngairangbam Makha Maning Leikai in Imphal West, Manipur, Rishikanta discovered weightlifting at the National Sports Academy in Khuman Lampak. Like many elite athletes from the state, he began his sporting journey with limited resources but abundant determination.
His talent soon earned him opportunities at some of India's premier training centres. He trained at the Army Sports Institute in Pune before moving to the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. To further sharpen his technique and strength, he later underwent advanced training at the National Sports Academy Vasil Levski in Bulgaria. Throughout his rise, the Indian Army played a pivotal role in nurturing his career, with Rishikanta representing both the Army and India on the international stage.
Rishikanta's breakthrough years came through consistent performances in Commonwealth competitions. He won gold at the Junior Commonwealth Championships in 2016 before claiming the senior Commonwealth Championship title in 2019. His progress continued despite increasingly competitive international fields, and he finished sixth at the 2022 Asian Championships.
His biggest statement came at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad. Competing in the men's 60kg category, Rishikanta lifted a total of 271kg, 120kg in the snatch and 151kg in the clean and jerk—to win the gold medal while setting a new national record. The performance not only established him as India's leading lifter in his category but also secured his qualification for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Glasgow marked Rishikanta's second Commonwealth Games appearance. He had represented India at Birmingham 2022 in the men's 55kg category. With changes to the international weight classes, he transitioned to the men's 60kg division, where he quickly emerged as one of the strongest contenders.
Even before arriving in Scotland, he had continued rewriting Indian records. At the 2024 National Weightlifting Championships, he lifted a national-record 124kg in the snatch while competing in the 61kg class, highlighting his growing consistency at elite level. India's medal challenge on Day 4 began with Rishikanta, and the Manipuri lifter responded with a composed and tactical display.
After lowering his opening snatch attempt to 116kg, he comfortably cleared it before succeeding at 119kg. His defining moment came with his third lift. Calling for 121kg, Rishikanta produced a flawless effort to establish a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch, eclipsing the previous mark of 120kg. Although Malaysian rival Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq later matched the lift, the Indian had already underlined his quality on one of the biggest stages.
Rishikanta remained firmly in contention after opening the clean and jerk with 143kg. However, unsuccessful attempts at 148kg and 151kg meant he finished with an overall total of 264kg. Aniq eventually claimed the gold with a Games-record aggregate of 273kg, while Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya secured the bronze medal with 260kg.
Behind every international medal has been a carefully structured preparation programme. Rishikanta trained at the national coaching camp in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the Games, with financial assistance provided for elite training. He also received support to compete at the 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar before travelling to Birmingham for an acclimatisation camp at the Warley Weightlifting Club in the final weeks leading up to Glasgow.
The systematic backing complemented years of work put in by the lifter himself. At just 28, Rishikanta remains firmly in his prime. A Commonwealth Championship gold medallist, Commonwealth Games silver medallist, national record holder and now a Commonwealth Games record holder in the snatch, he has established himself among India's finest weightlifters.
