CWG 2026: Nirupama Devi DNF in 63kg as Maude Charron sets Games record
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Indian weightlifter Nirupama Devi Seram endured a crushing exit from the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Tuesday, 28 July, recording a did-not-finish (DNF) in the women's 63kg category after failing all three clean and jerk attempts at 123kg. The result made her the first Indian weightlifter to leave the ongoing Games without a medal.
How the Lifts Unfolded
Nirupama opened her snatch campaign with a failed first attempt at 93kg but successfully completed the lift on her second try. She could not, however, clear 95kg in her third and final snatch attempt. The clean and jerk phase proved catastrophic — she did not register a single valid lift across three attempts at 123kg, resulting in the DNF that ended her medal hopes.
Notably, three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mirabai Chanu was courtside, cheering her teammate throughout, but even that support could not turn the tide for Nirupama.
Charron Dominates with Games Records
Former Olympic champion Maude Charron of Canada produced a commanding performance to claim gold, setting Games records in both disciplines — 102kg in snatch and 130kg in clean and jerk. Sarah Davies Smale of England took silver with a combined total of 217kg (95kg snatch + 122kg clean and jerk), while Femily-Crystie Notte of Nauru claimed bronze with 216kg (100kg + 116kg), earning the Pacific nation its second weightlifting bronze in as many days.
India's Weightlifting Tally at CWG 2026
Despite Tuesday's setback, India's weightlifting contingent has performed strongly overall, accumulating seven medals — one gold, four silver, and two bronze — heading into the later sessions. Mirabai Chanu had set the tone by winning India's first gold of the Games, her third successive Commonwealth Games gold.
On Monday, India enjoyed a productive sweep: Gyaneshwari Yadav bagged silver in the women's 53kg on her CWG debut, Bindyarani Devi added bronze in the women's 58kg — her second successive Commonwealth Games medal after a silver at Birmingham 2022 — and Valluri Ajaya Babu narrowly missed gold in the men's 79kg, finishing just 1kg behind Malaysia's Muhammad Erry Hidayat.
What This Means for India
Nirupama's DNF is a reminder of the fine margins at elite international competition — a single clean and jerk failure can erase an entire campaign. India's weightlifting programme, buoyed by Chanu's sustained dominance, will look to regroup as the Games continue. The focus now shifts to remaining events where India still has medal prospects.