Four years after winning bronze at Birmingham 2022, weightlifter Harjinder Kaur climbed one step higher on the podium at Glasgow 2026, securing silver in the women’s 69kg category and adding another chapter to India’s growing weightlifting success story.
While Canada’s Charlotte Simoneau dominated the competition with a Commonwealth Games record total of 240kg, Harjinder responded with a combined lift of 227kg, enough to secure second place and improve on the bronze medal she won in England four years ago.
From Birmingham bronze to Glasgow silver
Harjinder first announced herself on the Commonwealth stage at Birmingham 2022, where she claimed bronze in the women’s 71kg category.
At Glasgow, competing in the 69kg division, the 29-year-old looked far more assured. She twice rewrote the Commonwealth Games snatch record, successfully lifting 99kg before improving it to 101kg.
She followed it with clean and jerks of 123kg and 126kg, also setting a new Games benchmark in the discipline before finishing with a total of 227kg. Only Simoneau, who produced Games records in every lift, finished ahead of the Indian.
Part of India’s weightlifting resurgence
Harjinder’s silver further strengthened India’s position as one of the strongest weightlifting nations at Glasgow 2026.
The Indian contingent has already collected seven medals in weightlifting- one gold, five silvers and one bronze, making it the country’s most productive sport at these Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai Chanu opened India’s gold account by winning the women’s 48kg title for the third consecutive Commonwealth Games, while Rishikanta Singh, Raja Muthupandi, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Valluri Ajaya Babu and Bindyarani Devi have also finished on the podium.
Harjinder’s medal adds another experienced campaigner to that list and underlines the depth India now possesses across multiple weight categories.
A medal that reflects consistency
Unlike several younger lifters making their Commonwealth debut, Harjinder arrived in Glasgow with experience of handling multi-sport pressure.
Her ability to improve from bronze to silver across two Commonwealth Games highlights steady progression rather than a breakthrough performance.
With India’s weightlifting programme continuing to produce podium finishes across categories, Harjinder’s latest medal reinforces her place among the country’s most dependable performers on the international stage.
India finishes the day with 12 medals- two golds, seven silver and three bronze medals.