Who is Gyaneshwari Yadav? Indian weightlifter wins silver at CWG 2026 | Other Sports News

India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav continued the country’s impressive run in weightlifting as she bagged India’s fourth medal in weightlifting and fifth overall after winning the silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event on Sunday.

The Chhattisgarh lifter joined Rishikanta Singh Chanambam (men’s 60kg) and Muthupandi Raja (men’s 65kg) in winning weightlifting silver in Glasgow.

Gyaneshwari started strongly as she recorded a successful 88kg lift in the snatch in her third attempt to break the Commonwealth Games record temporarily before the eventual gold medallist, Nigeria’s Onome Omolola, broke it two attempts later with her 93kg lift.

Similarly, Gyaneshwari broke the clean and jerk record with her 111kg lift in her third attempt, but Omolola broke it soon after with her 113kg lift to successfully defend her Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Canada’s Rebeka Groulx walked away with the bronze medal.

Who is Gyaneshwari Yadav?

Born in 2003, Gyaneshwari Yadav hails from Bhodiya village in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. She is among India’s brightest young weightlifting talents and has steadily risen through the ranks with consistent performances on both the domestic and international circuits.

An Assistant Sub-Inspector with the Chhattisgarh Police, Gyaneshwari has balanced her sporting career with public service while establishing herself as one of India’s leading lifters in the lighter weight categories.

She was honoured with the Gundadhur Samman, Chhattisgarh’s highest sporting honour, in 2025 after an impressive run on the international stage, including a fifth-place finish at the 2024 World Weightlifting Championships in Bahrain.

Rise through the ranks

Gyaneshwari first came into the national spotlight through a string of medal-winning performances at domestic championships before earning regular opportunities with the Indian team.

Her rise accelerated following the International Weightlifting Federation’s restructuring of weight categories, with the Chhattisgarh lifter adapting quickly to the women’s 53kg division.

She impressed at national selection trials and consistently improved her totals on the international circuit. Ahead of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, she was ranked No. 1 among eligible Commonwealth lifters in the women’s 53kg category based on qualification totals, making her one of India’s strongest medal hopes.

Breakthrough on the international stage

The biggest breakthrough of Gyaneshwari’s career came at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar.

Competing before a home crowd, she lifted 88kg in the snatch and 106kg in the clean and jerk for a personal-best total of 194kg. The performance earned her silver in the snatch and bronze overall in the women’s 53kg category.

Her 88kg snatch also set a new Indian national record, while she finished just one kilogram behind Vietnam’s Nguyen Hoai Huong in the race for the overall silver medal.

The Asian Championships performance established Gyaneshwari among the continent’s top lifters and confirmed her credentials as one of India’s brightest medal prospects heading into the Commonwealth Games.

A rising star for India

Gyaneshwari’s progress over the past three years has been remarkable.

From representing India at the 2024 World Championships to standing on the podium at the Asian Championships and now winning a Commonwealth Games silver medal, she has consistently improved against elite international competition.

Her ability to produce her best lifts on the biggest stages has made her one of India’s most dependable weightlifters in the lighter categories and strengthened her credentials ahead of the next Olympic cycle.

What’s next for Gyaneshwari Yadav?

Winning a Commonwealth Games silver is another significant milestone in Gyaneshwari’s career, but the 23-year-old has even bigger targets ahead.

She is expected to spearhead India’s campaign in the women’s 53kg category at future World Weightlifting Championships, Asian Championships and the qualification events leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

With an Indian national record, medals at the Asian Championships and now a Commonwealth Games silver already to her name, Gyaneshwari has established herself as one of India’s most promising weightlifters. If her upward trajectory continues, she could become one of India’s leading medal hopes on the world stage over the next two years.

India’s medal count rises to five

Gyaneshwari Yadav’s silver medal in the women’s 53kg event took India’s medal tally to five at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Indian contingent now has one gold, three silver and one bronze, with weightlifting accounting for four of the country’s five medals so far.

India’s medal winners at CWG 2026 so far: