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Indian Commonwealth Games silver medalist weightlifter Lovepreet Singh expressed that he needs to improve his performance further and will continue working hard following a record-establishing silver at Glasgow.
Lovepreet was speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the felicitation of Indian weightlifters by the Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at his residence. During the CWG 2026, Lovepreet produced a Commonwealth Games record lift of 388 kg overall, but was later slightly edged by New Zealand's David Liti, who lifted a total of 389 kg combined in snatch and clean and jerk categories. However, Lovepreet's lift of 176 kg is still a Commonwealth Games record. Speaking to ANI, Lovepreet said, "I will work very hard; I need to improve my performance further, so it will require some intense training." He also expressed his gratitude to the Union Sports Minister for the felicitation and welcome given to the entire weightlifting contingent and said that the prize money received would be helpful for his personal and sporting needs. He also delivered a message of hard work and discipline to youngsters. "I want to express my gratitude to the Sports Minister, as he gave us, the players and the entire team, a wonderful welcome... Whether it is for personal needs, training, or traveling for competitions, the prize money is a huge help. My parents are very happy. I have received a lot of calls from people in my village, congratulating me. My message to the youth is to keep working hard, stay disciplined and keep taking a good diet," he signed off. A total of eight medals were secured by the Indian weightlifting contingent at the CWG 2026, with a gold medal, six silver medals and a bronze medal. The highlight was the gold by Mirabai Chanu in the women's 48 kg category, marking a hat-trick of Commonwealth golds. The 2026 Games were hosted under a compact format, leading to the removal of major Indian medal-earning events like shooting, wrestling, and badminton. India finished fourth in the medals table at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze. India officially began its journey towards hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Amdavad as the Commonwealth Games Flag was ceremonially handed over during a spectacular Closing Ceremony that celebrated the conclusion of Glasgow 2026 and looked ahead to the historic centenary edition of the Games. The symbolic moment marked the return of the Commonwealth Games to India after the 2010 edition (in New Delhi) and to Gujarat for the very first time. More importantly, it signalled the beginning of a new chapter for Indian sport as the nation prepares to welcome athletes from across the Commonwealth for the landmark 2030 edition. With the ceremonial handover to India complete for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aims to restore traditional disciplines while building world-class infrastructure to ensure a record-breaking medal haul. (ANI)
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