Lovepreet Singh Wins Commonwealth Games Silver After Falling 1kg Short of Gold

Glasgow: India's Lovepreet Singh came within touching distance of a Commonwealth Games gold medal but had to settle for silver in the men's +110kg weightlifting event after finishing just one kilogram behind champion David Liti of New Zealand.

Lovepreet registered a total lift of 388kg, narrowly missing the top spot as Liti clinched gold with 389kg. England's Andrew Griffiths secured the bronze medal with a combined effort of 356kg.

The Indian heavyweight made an impressive start in the snatch, successfully lifting 176kg to remain in the race for gold. He then lifted 205kg and 212kg in the clean and jerk before taking a bold shot at 217kg in his final attempt. Although he could not complete the lift, his overall total was enough to earn him the silver medal.

Liti, who managed 166kg in the snatch, produced a match-winning 223kg clean and jerk to edge past Lovepreet by the slimmest of margins and claim the Commonwealth title.

While the gold slipped away by just a kilogram, Lovepreet's composed and determined performance added another medal to India's growing tally in Glasgow. He stayed in contention throughout the competition and pushed the eventual champion until the final lift.

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The silver also reinforced India's strong showing in weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the country's lifters continuing to deliver impressive performances.

Hailing from Bal Sachandar village in Punjab's Amritsar district, Lovepreet began weightlifting at the age of 13 after being inspired by local athletes. Despite limited financial resources, he steadily climbed the ranks through dedication and consistent training.

After representing Punjab in domestic competitions, he joined the Sports Authority of India National Camp at NS NIS Patiala in 2017. He first competed in the 105kg category, winning medals at the Junior Commonwealth and Asian Junior Championships. Following the International Weightlifting Federation's revised weight categories, he moved to the 109kg division, where he claimed bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and later won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

With inputs from IANS