CWG: Ajaya Babu wins silver in 79kg weightlifting after record-breaking duel
Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu secured a silver medal in the 79kg category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He narrowly missed the gold, which went to Malaysia's Erry Hidayat Muhammad after a record-breaking performance.
Why it matters
This achievement highlights India's growing competitiveness in international weightlifting and the athlete's consistent performance in major championships.
Fast-rising Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu won the silver medal in the men's 79kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, adding another medal to India's tally in the sport.The 21-year-old from Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh lifted a Commonwealth Games record 149kg in the snatch and 181kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 330kg. He finished just one kilogram behind Malaysia's Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who won the gold with a Games record total of 331kg (147kg snatch + 184kg clean and jerk).England's Chris Murray claimed the bronze medal with a total lift of 325kg.The battle for gold went down to the final lifts in the clean and jerk. Hidayat first lifted 181kg to set a new Commonwealth Games record. Ajaya Babu then matched and bettered that effort by lifting 181kg in his final attempt, taking his total to 330kg.
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