CHENNAI: It might be a truncated edition, with economics taking over the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 but it doesn’t take away India’s hopes at the upcoming edition. There aren't India’s stronghold sports like badminton, wrestling, hockey but there’s still javelin, weightlifting and a whole host of sports at the Commonwealth games where India can get its share of medals.
Last time around, India finished fourth in 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, with 61 medals, out of which a large chunk were in the sports that don’t feature in the ongoing edition.
Here’s the biggest names who can win India medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026:
India's biggest sporting icon heads into Glasgow as the country's foremost medal hope. Fully fit after injury, Neeraj Chopra returns to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 2018. At the preceding show in Doha Diamond League, Neeraj finished with a throw of 85.69m, which was enough to seal fourth spot.
As big as the hope will be the competition, considering there’s his fierce on-field rival, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and the newly crowned javelin superstar, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage. Pathirage announced himself in Rome with a stunning 92.62m throw, agonizingly short of Nadeem’s Asian record.
"All of them have thrown 90m, so the Commonwealth Games will not be less (competitive) than the Olympics or World Championships; it will be a really tough competition," Chopra said during a press conference in Doha.
Neeraj hasn’t featured at the event since 2018, missing the 2022 edition due to a groin injury. It was at that event when Nadeem set a Commonwealth Games record with a 90.18 metres throw. If India wants athletics to begin with gold, it will once again look towards Neeraj.
When’s the event: July 30 & 31
What’s the competition like? Neeraj will have it tough, with both Arshad Nadeem and Rumesh Pathirage leading the line recently. Nadeem holds the Commonwealth Games record at 90.18 metres.
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Few athletes have carried India's medal hopes as consistently as Mirabai Chanu. After all, she has been the country’s biggest match-winner over the last few years. Commonwealth Games, is after all, her happy ground having lifted the gold medal across her last two appearances at the event, 2018 Gold Coast and 2022 Birmingham. She wasn’t too bad in her first attempt either, with a silver medal, announcing herself in some style.
The 31-year-old will be heading into the Glasgow event as the strongest in the field. Her technical precision, calm temperament under pressure and vast international experience make her a formidable competitor against the best lifters from across the Commonwealth.
However, don’t expect Mirabai to snatch 90 kg, as she has made the Asian Games her priority, considering there isn’t a lot of gap between the two events.
“I will not give my full effort in the Commonwealth Games. My focus is the Asian Games, which are very near. I am training according to that. So my performance and effort here will depend on that plan,” Chanu told PTI on Thursday.
Even at less than full intensity, Mirabai remains the athlete everyone else will be chasing.
When’s the event: July 26
Titles for Mirabai Chanu: 2014 Commonwealth Games (Silver), 2018 Commonwealth Games (Gold), 2022 Commonwealth Games (Gold)
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Sarvesh Kushare may still be unfamiliar to casual fans, but not for much longer. Over the next week, the entire media will be talking about Kushare, who will be one of India’s brightest medal hopes at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
The 31-year-old rose to prominence in the Doha Diamond league, where he sailed over 2.26m to take the third place in a star-studded field. It was just two weeks after Kushare had set a national record, jumping over 2.31m, with a possibility that the Indian could repeat his feat in the upcoming days.
At Doha, Kushare became the fourth Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League event after javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra (13 times since 2022), long jumper Murali Sreeshankar (once in 2023) and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda (on two occasions in 2015). However, there’s Hamish Kerr, 2022 Commonwealth Games champion who will be the man to beat at the event.
When’s the event: July 27
Claim to fame: Holds current Indian record of 2.31m, and finished fourth in Doha Diamond League with a 2.26m jump
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Four years ago, Sreeshankar Murali was so close to a Commonwealth Games gold medal. Yet, by the virtue of a better second-jump, Bahamas’ LaQuan Nairn snapped up the gold after both the athletes were tied at 8.08m.
Life has been a rollercoaster since then, for Sreeshankar, who had a career-threatening injury. But since then, he’s not just recovered but won everything possible at the domestic level, with a complete domination of the field. The 27-year-old long jumper is already Asia’s best, with two jumps over the 8.30m (8.38m & 8.41m), and seventh-best when it comes to the world this season.
"There is something which I feel is that there is a big jump still in me," Sreeshankar said after the Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar.
"Everybody was happy because I got an 8.38m jump in Bhubaneswar. But I certainly felt it was not an 8.38 day. We were just happy because I got my good jump after surgery. There is a big jump which is coming for sure."
There’s a strong rumour that Wayne Pinnock, the 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist is on the verge of completing a switch from Jamaica to Turkey, which might rule him out of the competition. In that case, it leaves Sreeshankar with a clear path to glory.
When’s the event: July 29
What should you know about Sreeshankar: Asia’s best jump this season (8.41m) and has two jumps over 8.30m – seventh-best in ongoing world season
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Without even throwing a punch, India’s boxing sensation Lovlina Borgohain has sealed herself and the country a confirmed medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The 28-year-old received a bye into the women’s 75-kgs semi-finals, meaning she will now surely get a medal.
"This is shocking news for me too. I didn't expect to reach the semi-finals this early, as I didn't have a medal in the last two Commonwealth Games, and in the last two, I had to fight four or five bouts. But this time, reaching the semi-finals directly is a big thing for me," Lovlina said.
The only mystery remaining is, which colour medal would it be?
"It's probably a blessing that I'm finally getting the reward for all my hard work in these Commonwealth Games, so I feel much better," she added. Lovlina though was sure that she will only come back to the country with a gold around her neck, with her semi-final contest against former World Champions, Taafaki on Friday.
Given that she’s already won at Olympics, Asian Games, a Commonwealth Games medal would allow her to complete the set.
When’s the event: July 24 till 29 (preliminary rounds), July 31 & 1 (knockouts)
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Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi has a story to tell.
Long back, in the town of Jollarpetai here in Tamil Nadu, a young six-year-old Vishal had bow knees which meant it was not strong enough to withstand the life of an athlete. According to Sportstar, that’s when one of the football coaches at Jolarpettai mini stadium asked him to undergo a unique physical therapy.
The coach had buried Vishal’s knees deep into the sand pit for a couple of hours, almost soaking him before he would be asked to run around. Six months later, that condition where his knees were bowed had now paved the way for Vishal to build a career around athletics, earning him the moniker ‘Vishal Bolt’ in the area.
"I don't set limits on what I can achieve. I believe in pushing my boundaries every time I compete. Representing India is the biggest motivation, and I'll give everything I have to make the nation proud,” Vishal said in a release.
Now, he stands as one of India’s biggest medal hopes at the Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian man to break the 45-second barrier in 400m, at 44.98 seconds – current national record. Zambian Muzala Samukonga will stand in his way for that medal.
When’s the event: July 28 (Tuesday)
Claim to fame: Despite bowed knees, TK Vishal is first Indian to break the 45-second buried in 400m, at 44.98 seconds – a national record.
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Boxing runs in Jaismine Lamboria's veins, whose great-grandfather, Captain Hawa Singh was a pioneer of Indian boxing. His legacy – Bhiwani Boxing Club – has since then produced some of India’s biggest boxers, notably Vijender Singh and Akhil Kumar. Not to forget, both her uncles – Sandeep Singh and Parvinder Singh – too were national champions in boxing.
Having started boxing at the age of 15, Jaismine rose sharply, winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2020. A year later, she also won the silver medal Elite Women's National Boxing Championships after besting Simranjit Kaur in the semifinals. Later, she added a bronze medal to her tally.
In her first Commonwealth Games (2022), she won bronze in the Women’s 60 kg category, and also represented the country in the 2024 Paris Olympics. But her biggest breakthrough, till date, came in 2025 when she bested Paris Olympic silver medallist Julia Szeremeta in the final to lift the World Boxing Championship.
It was only the beginning of greater things, as Jaismine won gold at the World Cup and later at the Asian Boxing Championship in 2026. Alongside Lovlina, Jaismine gives India a genuine chance of multiple boxing gold medals.
When’s the event: July 29 onwards
Fun Fact: Born in Haryana on August 30, 2001, Jaismine Lamboria grew up watching two of her uncles Sandeep Singh and Parvinder Singh winning medals in national and international arenas
Why does she bring about hopes? India’s first gold medalist at World Boxing Championship (2025) and also won the Asian Boxing Championship (2026)