Ajaya Babu wins silver, India’s 6th weightlifting medal at 2026 CWG

Ajaya Babu lifted a total of 330kg to become the third Indian weightlifter to win silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Ajaya Babu lifted a total of 330kg to win silver in men’s 79kg weightlifting. Ajaya lifted 149kg in snatch and then 181kg in clean and jerk. Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad won gold with a total lift of 331kg, which was a Games record. England’s Chris Murray won bronze after heaving 325kg. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagram district, Ajaya Babu lifted a Games record 149kg in snatch and 181kg in clean and jerk for a total of 330kg to win the second prize, narrowly missing out on gold to Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who totalled a Games record 331kg (147 + 184) during a gripping contest on Monday night.

This was India’s sixth medal in weightlifting in the current edition of the Games. Rishikanta Singh opened the account first with a silver medal before Mirabai Chanu won her third consecutive CWG gold. Ayaya’s silver is the third weightlifting medal for India on Monday alone, with Gyaneshwari Yadav having won silver and Bindyarani Devi winning bronze earlier in the day.

First, Hidayat lifted 181kg to smash the Games record, the Indian then bettered it within seconds by lifting 181kg in his final attempt to break the record again for 330kg. Hidayat did one better, breaking the record again with a lift of 184kg in his final attempt to win the gold medal.

Earlier, after a failed second attempt at 149kg, Ajaya Babu made a fine comeback to lift the weight in his final try and set a new Games record, finishing at the top of the heap at the end of snatch section ahead of England’s Chris Murray (148kg) and Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad (147kg).

He had 145kg listed as his first attempt and nailed it too easily. Entering the clean and jerk section on a high, Ajaya Babu looked confident of winning the top prize but his opponent from Malaysia edged the Indian out eventually.

Seen as one of India’s fastest-growing lifters, Ajaya Babu had in the past won the gold medal in the men’s 79kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad with a personal-best total lift of 335kg (152kg snatch + 183kg clean & jerk), breaking the championship records. That performance earned him his direct qualification spot for Glasgow 2026.

Ajaya Babu lifted a total of 330kg to win silver in men’s 79kg weightlifting. Ajaya lifted 149kg in snatch and then 181kg in clean and jerk. Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad won gold with a total lift of 331kg, which was a Games record. England’s Chris Murray won bronze after heaving 325kg. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagram district, Ajaya Babu lifted a Games record 149kg in snatch and 181kg in clean and jerk for a total of 330kg to win the second prize, narrowly missing out on gold to Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who totalled a Games record 331kg (147 + 184) during a gripping contest on Monday night.

This was India’s sixth medal in weightlifting in the current edition of the Games. Rishikanta Singh opened the account first with a silver medal before Mirabai Chanu won her third consecutive CWG gold. Ayaya’s silver is the third weightlifting medal for India on Monday alone, with Gyaneshwari Yadav having won silver and Bindyarani Devi winning bronze earlier in the day.

First, Hidayat lifted 181kg to smash the Games record, the Indian then bettered it within seconds by lifting 181kg in his final attempt to break the record again for 330kg. Hidayat did one better, breaking the record again with a lift of 184kg in his final attempt to win the gold medal.

Earlier, after a failed second attempt at 149kg, Ajaya Babu made a fine comeback to lift the weight in his final try and set a new Games record, finishing at the top of the heap at the end of snatch section ahead of England’s Chris Murray (148kg) and Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad (147kg).

He had 145kg listed as his first attempt and nailed it too easily. Entering the clean and jerk section on a high, Ajaya Babu looked confident of winning the top prize but his opponent from Malaysia edged the Indian out eventually.

Seen as one of India’s fastest-growing lifters, Ajaya Babu had in the past won the gold medal in the men’s 79kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad with a personal-best total lift of 335kg (152kg snatch + 183kg clean & jerk), breaking the championship records. That performance earned him his direct qualification spot for Glasgow 2026.