CWG 2026: Sanjana exits women's 77kg after three failed snatch attempts
Synopsis
Sanjana entered the women's 77kg final at CWG 2026 as the second-ranked contender on declared totals — and left without a single valid lift. Three failed snatch attempts at 94kg ended her maiden Commonwealth Games before the clean and jerk even began, turning a podium favourite into one of India's biggest disappointments at the Glasgow Games.
Key Takeaways
Sanjana , 19, was eliminated from the CWG 2026 women's 77kg event on 29 July after failing all three snatch attempts at 94kg .
Under competition rules, a failed snatch phase ends an athlete's participation entirely, including the clean and jerk.
She had the second-highest declared combined total in the field ( 94kg + 122kg ), trailing only Samoa's Seine Stowers .
Sanjana is only the second Indian weightlifter at Glasgow to exit without a medal after a technical failure, after Nirupama Devi (women's 63kg).
At the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Gandhinagar , she had lifted a career-best 220kg and won three bronze medals.
India's weightlifting campaign at CWG 2026 has otherwise yielded seven medals , led by Mirabai Chanu's gold in the women's 48kg.
Teenage Indian weightlifter Sanjana was eliminated from the women's 77kg competition at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Wednesday, 29 July, after failing to register a valid lift in the snatch phase — ending her maiden CWG campaign before the clean and jerk segment could begin. The early exit marked one of India's sharpest disappointments in the weightlifting arena at the Glasgow Games.
What Went Wrong
The 19-year-old was unable to clear her opening snatch weight of 94kg across all three attempts. Under competition rules, a weightlifter must record at least one successful snatch lift to advance; with no valid effort on the board, Sanjana was disqualified from further participation, including the clean and jerk — a discipline in which she had been widely expected to excel.
The outcome was particularly jarring given her pre-competition standing. Based on declared entry weights, Sanjana carried the second-highest combined total in the field — 94kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean and jerk — trailing only Samoa's Seine Stowers and positioning herself among the frontrunners for a podium finish.
A Rare and Costly Blank
Sanjana became only the second Indian weightlifter at the Glasgow Games to depart without a medal following a technical failure. The first was Nirupama Devi, whose women's 63kg campaign ended in a 'Did Not Finish' after three failed clean and jerk attempts, even though she had completed the snatch phase. Together, the two exits underline the sport's unforgiving structure, where a single failed phase can erase an otherwise competitive total.
Sanjana's Road to Glasgow
Despite Wednesday's setback, Sanjana's credentials are well-established at the junior and senior levels. She first attracted national attention by collecting medals and setting national records in youth competition before stepping up to the senior circuit. Earlier in 2026, she delivered a career-best performance at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, lifting a combined total of 220kg — 96kg in the snatch and 124kg in the clean and jerk — to claim bronze medals in all three categories: snatch, clean and jerk, and overall standings. That performance secured her berth in India's CWG squad.
India's Weightlifting Haul at Glasgow
India's weightlifting campaign at CWG 2026 has otherwise been productive, with seven medals accumulated so far. The standout performance came from Mirabai Chanu, who claimed gold in the women's 48kg category. Sanjana's exit, however, serves as a reminder that even the most promising athletes can be undone by the sport's strict qualifying structure in a single session.
With the Glasgow Games still ongoing, India's weightlifting contingent will look to consolidate its medal tally in the remaining events.
Point of View
Which points to a mental or technical collapse under competition conditions that training data alone cannot predict. India's weightlifting system has produced exceptional junior athletes in recent years, but the Glasgow exits of both Sanjana and Nirupama Devi expose a recurring vulnerability: the inability to convert declared potential into valid attempts when it counts. The sport's binary structure — one failed phase and you are done — demands a level of competition-day composure that India's support infrastructure must now address more systematically ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sanjana eliminated from CWG 2026 women's 77kg?
Sanjana was eliminated because she failed to register a valid lift in the snatch phase, missing all three attempts at 94kg. Under weightlifting competition rules, a lifter must complete at least one successful snatch to advance to the clean and jerk; with no valid effort, her entire campaign ended.
How strong was Sanjana's form heading into CWG 2026?
Sanjana was considered a strong medal contender, carrying the second-highest declared combined total in the field at 94kg (snatch) and 122kg (clean and jerk). Earlier in 2026, she had lifted a career-best 220kg at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, winning bronze in all three categories.
Who else from India failed to medal in weightlifting at Glasgow?
Nirupama Devi also left the Glasgow Games without a medal after her women's 63kg campaign ended in a 'Did Not Finish' — she completed the snatch but failed all three clean and jerk attempts. Sanjana and Nirupama are the only two Indian weightlifters at CWG 2026 to exit without a medal due to technical failures.
How many medals has India won in weightlifting at CWG 2026?
India has won seven weightlifting medals at CWG 2026 in Glasgow so far. The most prominent was Mirabai Chanu's gold in the women's 48kg category.
What are Sanjana's prospects after the CWG 2026 setback?
Despite the Glasgow disappointment, Sanjana remains one of India's most promising young weightlifters. At 19, she has national records at the youth level and a career-best 220kg total at the senior Asian Championships. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics cycle gives her time to build competitive experience.
