Sharmila Dhankar dedicates her Commonwealth Games gold medal to her mother

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Riding high on her gold-medal performance in the women’s shot put F57 event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Indian para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar revealed her ambition to keep winning more medals for the nation, dedicating her first international gold to her mother while looking ahead to the Asian Games and the Paralympic Games.

Speaking to ANI after her triumph in Glasgow, Sharmila said, “I am extremely happy to win a medal for my country. I feel really proud, and I will continue bringing glory to the nation. This was my dream, and my mother’s dream too. I won this gold through hard work. My mother will be overjoyed. I got this medal for her. Asian Games and the Olympics are next. This is my first medal, and I will keep winning many more in the future.”

The 40-year-old registered a season-best effort of 9.81 metres to secure top honours, finishing well clear of Ghana’s Zinabu Issah, who took silver with a best mark of 8.65m.

Dhankar’s historic medal increases Indian medal tally at Commonwealth Games

The match turned into a double celebration for the Indian contingent when fellow para-athlete Shilpa Shyla was moved from fourth position to the bronze medal after Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi faced disqualification, marking India’s first double podium appearance of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Dhankar’s success yielded India’s second gold medal of the competition and formed part of a six-medal haul for the country on Day 5.

The athlete from Haryana only entered competitive athletics at 34, yet she enjoyed a swift rise, becoming national champion in 2021 before standing at the top of the Commonwealth podium in Glasgow.

Her victory contributed to India’s strong performance in Scotland, raising the nation’s total to 10 medals (two gold, five silver, and three bronze).

India’s medalists at the Games comprise Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, high jump), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa Shyla (bronze, shot put F57), and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).

(With inputs from ANI)

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