NEW DELHI: India on Monday enjoyed one of its best days at the Commonwealth Games with six medals overall, with Sharmila Dhankar making history after becoming the country’s first-ever para-athletics gold medallist. On Day 5 of the event, she won the women’s F57 shot put title with a season-best throw of 9.81m, ending India’s 20-year wait for a para-athletics medal at the Games. The F57 category is for athletes with lower limb impairments, limb deficiencies or reduced muscle power. Shilpa K. Shyla clinched a bronze in the women’s shot put F57 event.The celebrations continued in athletics with Sarvesh Kushare becoming the first Indian to win a silver medal in the men’s high jump. The national record holder cleared 2.25m and narrowly missed the gold on countback after tying with Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford. Adarsh Ram finished fifth, while Tejaswin Shankar withdrew early as a precaution before the decathlon.
Weightlifters keep medal rush alive
Weightlifting once again delivered for India. Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in the men’s 79kg event after finishing just one kilogram behind Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad in a thrilling contest. Gyaneshwari Yadav also claimed silver in the women’s 53kg category with career-best lifts, while Bindyarani Devi added a bronze in the 58kg class, taking India’s weightlifting medal tally to six.
Boxers progress, mixed fortunes elsewhere
Indian boxing also had a productive day as Sachin Siwach, Ankush and Sakshi Chaudhary advanced to the quarterfinals with convincing wins, although Sumit exited after a narrow defeat.There were disappointments too. Sprinter Gurindervir Singh failed to qualify for the 100m semifinals, while hurdler Tejas Shirse finished last in the 110m hurdles final after competing with an injury. “In the warm up, I suffered a Navicular stress fracture in my left leg. I didn’t want to pull out so I told my physio to tape it,” Shirse told news agency PTI. “I am the first Indian to qualify for the 110m hurdles final in the CWG, so I didn’t want to let the whole nation down (by pulling out),” he added. Swimming also brought little success, with Sajan Prakash, Aryan Nehra and para-swimmer Swatik Patil finishing outside the medals.
