Rishikanta Singh Chanambam claimed the silver medal in the men's 60kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on 27 July 2026, finishing with a combined lift of 264kg and giving India its first medal of Day 4. The 28-year-old from Imphal West, Manipur also set a Commonwealth Games snatch record of 121kg, cementing his place among India's finest weightlifters.

The Glasgow Performance

Rishikanta opened his snatch campaign conservatively, lowering his first attempt to 116kg before clearing it comfortably. He followed up with a successful 119kg lift before producing a flawless third attempt at 121kg — eclipsing the previous Games snatch record of 120kg. Malaysia's Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq later matched the snatch mark but went on to claim gold with a Games-record aggregate of 273kg.

In the clean and jerk, Rishikanta opened at 143kg but could not convert attempts at 148kg and 151kg, leaving his final total at 264kg. Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya secured bronze with 260kg.

From Imphal to Glasgow: The Journey

Born on 5 July 1998 in Ngairangbam Makha Maning Leikai, Imphal West, Rishikanta first encountered the sport at the National Sports Academy in Khuman Lampak. Like many elite athletes from Manipur, he began with limited resources but exceptional drive. His trajectory took him through the Army Sports Institute in Pune, the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala, and advanced training at the National Sports Academy Vasil Levski in Bulgaria.

The Indian Army has been a consistent pillar of support throughout his career, with Rishikanta representing both the Army and the country on the international stage.

Career Milestones

Rishikanta's competitive record reflects steady, deliberate progression. He won gold at the Junior Commonwealth Championships in 2016 and followed it with the senior Commonwealth Championship title in 2019. He finished sixth at the 2022 Asian Championships before delivering his most commanding performance at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad, where he lifted a national-record total of 271kg — 120kg in the snatch and 151kg in the clean and jerk — to win gold and secure his Glasgow qualification.

Glasgow marked his second Commonwealth Games appearance. He had competed at Birmingham 2022 in the men's 55kg category before transitioning to the 60kg division following international weight-class revisions. At the 2024 National Weightlifting Championships, he set a national record of 124kg in the snatch in the 61kg class, underscoring his growing consistency at elite level.

Preparation and Institutional Backing

Ahead of the Games, Rishikanta trained at the national coaching camp in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, with financial assistance provided for elite preparation. He also competed at the 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar before travelling to the United Kingdom for an acclimatisation camp at the Warley Weightlifting Club in the weeks leading up to Glasgow.

At 28, Rishikanta remains squarely in his prime — a Commonwealth Championship gold medallist, Commonwealth Games silver medallist, national record holder, and now a Commonwealth Games snatch record holder. With the next cycle already in view, his Glasgow silver is likely a chapter in a longer story still being written.