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Fresh off her bronze medal-winning performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam said she is now shifting her focus towards the Asian Games, while crediting her family, coach and the Weightlifting Federation of India for standing by her throughout her journey.
Speaking to the media after securing bronze in the women's 58kg category, the 27-year-old from Manipur said, "I am feeling very good after winning the medal for the nation. I will give my best to secure a medal in the Asian Games also. Before this, we stayed in Birmingham for a month and had a camp. Our federation has supported us a lot, and our coach too has supported us in everything from training to food. This medal belongs to my family, especially my mother, father, brother, sister, and first of all to my coach because they all have supported me a lot. My parents have been praying for me since yesterday." Bindyarani produced a determined display to claim her second Commonwealth Games medal, finishing behind Nigeria's Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, who won gold with a Games record total of 229kg, and Canada's Ann Sophie Taschereau, who took silver with 215kg. The Indian lifter made a composed start in the snatch after her coaching staff reduced her opening attempt from 85kg to 83kg. She cleared 83kg comfortably before successfully lifting 85kg and 87kg, finishing level with England's Eliza Pratt but ahead on countback. In the clean and jerk, Bindyarani's opening attempt of 110kg was ruled a no-lift after a jury review due to an elbow buckle during the jerk. She bounced back impressively to lift 112kg on her second attempt, taking her overall total to 199kg and briefly moving into the silver-medal position. She then attempted 116kg in pursuit of a personal best and a higher finish but was unable to complete the lift. Her total of 199kg was enough to secure the bronze medal. The Glasgow podium marked Bindyarani's second Commonwealth Games medal after winning silver at the Birmingham 2022 Games. The achievement was particularly significant as it came after recovering from a knee injury in 2023 and adapting to competition across the 55kg and 58kg weight categories. Bindyarani's bronze took India's tally at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games to six medals, including one in para powerlifting. India have so far won one gold, three silver and two bronze medals. India's medallists in Glasgow are Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting) and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting). (ANI)
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