GLASGOW, JUL 24 (IANS): India’s swimming campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 started on a high note on Friday as Olympian Srihari Nataraj secured a place in the men’s 50m backstroke semifinals, while para swimmer Budigina and Ali Imam produced impressive performances to qualify for the men’s 100m freestyle S13 final.
Nataraj finished fifth in Heat 4 of the men’s 50m backstroke after clocking 25.52 seconds to comfortably book his place among the top 16 swimmers progressing to the semifinals.
England’s Oliver Morgan won the heat in 24.91 seconds, while compatriots Jack Skerry (25.08) and Matthew Ward (25.16), along with Benjamin Winterborn (25.37), also advanced from the same heat. A total of 40 swimmers competed across the heats, with the fastest 16 making it through to the semifinals.
The Indian swimmer finished 0.61 seconds behind Morgan and will now look to improve his timing in the semifinals, scheduled to begin at 12:30 AM IST on Saturday.
In the para swimming competition, Budigina underlined his growing reputation as one of India’s brightest medal hopes with a remarkable effort in the men’s 100m freestyle S13 event.
The Indian clocked 57.10 seconds to finish third in his race, just 0.53 seconds behind Britain’s Stephen Clegg, who topped the field. Budigina displayed an excellent finish after being placed fourth at the halfway mark before accelerating strongly over the closing stages to move into the top three.
His late burst saw him overtake James Clegg, who had been running second midway through the race, while Stephen Clegg and South Africa’s Hendricks finished ahead.
Fellow Indian Ali Imam also progressed to the final after returning a time of 1:05.32. Although he finished 8.75 seconds behind the heat leader, his performance was enough to secure qualification for the medal race.
The final of the S13 freestyle will be held on Saturday, with India hoping to get their first medal of the ongoing tournament in swimming.
Malik finishes 4th as India narrowly misses para-powerlifting medal
India’s Ashok Malik narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing fourth with 143.8 points despite producing an impressive best lift of 200kg.
Malik stayed in medal contention throughout the competition but eventually finished behind Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, who took the bronze with 153.5 points. Gustin, the defending Commonwealth Games champion and world record holder in the category, managed to fend off the Indian’s challenge to secure a podium spot.
England’s Mark Swan won the gold medal with 153.9 points after achieving the top lift of 222kg. Nigeria’s multiple Paralympic medallist Roland Ezuruike matched Swan on points but had to settle for silver due to countback, with a best lift of 185kg. This event also marked the first gold medal of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
India’s second participant, Parmjeet Kumar, finished seventh with 135.6 points. Scotland’s Finlay Davidson came in fifth with 141.4 points, followed by Nigeria’s Ibrahim Dauda with 140.1. Kenya’s Ngungi Maringa scored 127.0 points, Australia’s Daniel Bos had 123.3 points, Cameroon’s Belinga Manga achieved 103.9 points, Solomon Islands’ Moffet Tolomae got 94.0 points, and Malta’s Nick Mercieca rounded out the standings with 92.5 points.
Ashok Kumar Malik competes in the men’s up to 65kg category and comes from Haryana. He is one of India’s most experienced para powerlifters, having represented the country at the Paralympics, Asian Para Games, and World Para Powerlifting Championships.
The men’s lightweight competition kicked off the para powerlifting program at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Athletes were ranked based on a bodyweight-adjusted points system instead of just the weight lifted.
The men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event is the first medal opportunity for India, and Ashok Malik came very close to claiming it before his effort ended narrowly short.
India beat SA in Lawn Bowls women’s pairs to notch 2nd win on trot
India beat South Africa in a dominant display to notch their second consecutive win in Lawn Bowls Women’s Pairs event in the Commonwealth Games here on Friday.
The Indian pair of Rupa Rani Tirkey (lead) and Pinki Singh (skip) beat the South Africans 2-0 (6-4, 7-5) in their second match in section B at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3.
The South Africans Thabelo Muvhango (lead) and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg (skip) made a gritty fight but found the Indians too good on the day.
The Indian pair currently tops section B standings.
On Thursday, the Indians had beaten Malta in a tense tie-break in their opening match. They won the first set 7-1 but the Maltese duo of Rebecca Louise Rixon (lead) and Connie-Leigh Rixon (skip) fought back to take the second set 3-4.
In the nervy tie-break, the Indians were lagging behind their opponents before Pinky sent down a fine effort in the last bowl to win the match.
In Bowls, ‘Skip’ is the team captain, and usually the most experienced player. He or she determines the game plan, and also plays the final two bowls of one ‘end’. There are five ends in a set.
‘Lead’ is the first player to bowl, responsible for placing the mat. He or she sends the bowls as close to the target as possible, before the ‘Skip’ comes in.
Both Tirkey and Pinki were part of the Women’s Fours team that won gold in the 2022 Birmingham CWG. But the Men’s and Women’s Fours events have been excluded in the Glasgow CWG from the Bowls competition features.
The Men’s and Women’s Singles and Pairs events have been included in Glasgow. PTI
India had also won a silver in the Men’s Fours event in the 2022 Birmingham Games.