NewsIndia

By Ishaan Kapoor — 29 July 2026 — 3 min read

India’s boxing contingent achieved a perfect five-in-five performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Wednesday, with all five boxers who competed advancing to the semifinals. This strong showing has ensured a total of nine medals for India in boxing at the games.

The five boxers who secured their semifinal berths on Wednesday are Narender Berwal (90+kg), Ankush Yadav (80kg), Sakshi Choudhary (51kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), and Sachin Siwach (60kg). Their victories mean that India has surpassed its boxing medal tally from Birmingham 2022, where the country secured seven medals, including three gold, one silver, and three bronze.

Dominant Performances in the Ring

The day’s winning streak commenced with Sakshi Choudhary, who delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 51kg quarterfinal. Facing Northern Ireland’s Caitlin Fryers, Sakshi controlled the bout from the outset, utilizing her reach and sharp combinations. She secured a unanimous 5-0 victory, keeping Fryers at bay despite the Irish boxer’s aggressive attempts. Sakshi maintained her composure, boxing from long range, which she identified as her strength.

Following Sakshi’s win, Arundhati Choudhary faced a more challenging encounter against New Zealand’s Morgan Henderson in the women’s 70kg quarterfinal. After a closely contested bout, Arundhati maintained her nerve to achieve a 3-1 victory, securing her spot in the semifinals.

Sachin Siwach, a former world youth champion, continued India’s impressive run. He overpowered Botswana’s Treasure Moremi in the men’s 60kg quarterfinal. The world No. 5 Indian boxer displayed a composed performance, winning the bout 5-0 by unanimous decision, dominating all five judges’ scorecards.

In the men’s 80kg quarterfinal, Ankush Yadav, last year’s World Boxing Cup Finals silver medallist, extended India’s winning streak. He defeated Seychelles’ Jade Micock with a 5-0 score, booking his place in the semifinals. Ankush’s speed, movement, and superior combinations proved overwhelming for his opponent, as he maintained control throughout the contest.

Berwal Completes the Sweep

The final Indian boxer to complete the five-in-five sweep was Narender Berwal in the men’s 90+kg quarterfinal. He battled against Samoa’s Michael Seko in a dramatic contest marked by referee interventions and two point deductions against the Indian boxer. Despite these challenges, Berwal demonstrated resilience, forcing standing counts twice, including in the decisive final round. He ultimately edged out Seko with a 3-2 split decision.

With these five victories, the total number of Indian boxers in the semifinals has risen to nine. The other four boxers who had already qualified for the semifinals are Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Jadumani Singh (55kg). This achievement guarantees India at least nine bronze medals in the Glasgow boxing competition.

Athletics and Swimming Updates

Beyond boxing, India also saw medal hopes retained in athletics. Shot putters Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill advanced to the final round. Toor, the national record holder, breached the automatic qualification mark of 20m in Group A with his second throw, measuring 20.14m, after an initial effort of 19.93m.

In qualification round Group B, Gill’s best effort was 19.95m in his opening attempt, followed by 19.75m. He finished fifth overall among 15 competitors across both groups. Those who surpassed the 20m mark or were among the 12 best performers qualified for the finals, which are scheduled for Thursday.

On the track, national record holder Animesh Kujur qualified for the 200m semifinals, clocking his season-best time of 20.46 seconds to win Heat 4 in the first round. He finished seventh overall among the 16 fastest runners from across 10 heats who advanced to the semifinals, also to be held on Thursday.

However, there were no advancements for India in the lifting arena, as Sanjana bowed out of the women’s 77 kg category with a Do Not Finish (DNF). Similarly, in swimming, Sajan Prakash and Aneesh S Gowda did not qualify for the men’s 200m freestyle final. Prakash finished fifth in his heat and 20th overall with a time of 1:51.99 seconds, while Aneesh finished 18th overall with a timing of 1:51.64 seconds. In contrast, para swimmers Suyash Narayan Jadhav and Chaitanya Vishwas Kulkarni qualified for the Men’s 50m Freestyle S7.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com