Commonwealth Games: Joshua Amunga Opens Kenya's Medal Account in Tough Weightlifting Contest

Kenyan weightlifter Joshua Amunga delivered a historic performance by securing Kenya's first medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after claiming bronze in the men's 60kg category on Sunday.

Amunga produced a composed display throughout the competition, registering a combined total of 260kg after lifting 115kg in the snatch and 145kg in the clean and jerk. His effort was enough to earn a place on the podium and hand Team Kenya its first medal of the Games.

His total of 260kg kept him comfortably ahead of Sri Lanka's SDSS Wiriduwagle, who finished fourth with a combined lift of 244kg.

The bronze medal marks an important milestone for Kenya, with Amunga setting the pace for the country's athletes as they continue their campaigns across different disciplines.

India's Rishikanta Singh claimed the silver medal after a dramatic contest in which two missed clean and jerk attempts ultimately cost him the gold.

The lifter from Manipur finished with a total of 264kg, comprising a 121kg snatch and a 143kg clean and jerk. Although he looked destined for victory after an outstanding start, he was eventually overtaken by Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan.

Singh entered the competition among the favourites after winning gold at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

He opened confidently by successfully lifting 116kg before improving to 119kg. For his final snatch attempt, he elected to lift 121kg, one kilogram above the existing Commonwealth Games record, and executed the lift perfectly to establish a new Games record and a personal best. However, his advantage proved short-lived.

Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan quickly responded by matching Singh's 121kg snatch, setting up a thrilling battle in the clean and jerk with both athletes level at the top of the standings. The decisive moment came in the second discipline.

While Singh successfully lifted 143kg, he failed to improve with his remaining two attempts, opening the door for Kasdan.

The Malaysian seized the opportunity with an outstanding lift of 152kg, setting a new Commonwealth Games clean and jerk record. His combined total of 273kg secured the gold medal while also establishing new Games records for both the clean and jerk and the overall total.