Glasgow, July 31 (IANS) India’s Lovepreet Singh produced a valiant performance but fell agonisingly short of the gold medal, claiming silver in the men’s +110kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Thursday.
Lovepreet finished with a combined lift of 388kg, just 1kg behind New Zealand’s David Liti, who won gold with 389kg. England’s Andrew Griffiths completed the podium with a total of 356kg.
The Indian lifter opened strongly in the snatch, successfully lifting 176kg to stay in contention for the top spot. In the clean and jerk, he cleared 205kg and 212kg before making a bold attempt at 217kg in his final lift. Although the final attempt was unsuccessful, his total of 388kg was enough to secure the silver medal.
David Liti, who had lifted 166kg in the snatch, produced a decisive 223kg clean and jerk to edge ahead of Lovepreet by the narrowest possible margin and clinch the Commonwealth title.
Despite the heartbreak of missing gold by just one kilogram, Lovepreet’s performance added another medal to India’s tally in Glasgow and highlighted his consistency on the biggest stage. His silver medal was the result of a composed display under pressure, with the Indian heavyweight pushing the eventual champion until the very end.
The medal further strengthened India’s impressive campaign in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games, where the country’s lifters have once again emerged among the leading performers.
Born on September 6, 1997, in Bal Sachandar village, Amritsar, Punjab, Lovepreet Singh comes from a humble family. Inspired by local weightlifters, he began weightlifting in 2010 at the age of 13 under the guidance of local coaches. Despite financial hardships, his determination and disciplined training helped him progress steadily through the junior and senior ranks.
Lovepreet represented Punjab in national competitions before joining the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Camp at NS NIS Patiala in 2017. He initially competed in the 105 kg category, winning medals at the Junior Commonwealth and Asian Junior Championships. After the introduction of new IWF weight categories, he moved to the 109 kg category, where he won bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.
–IANS
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