Commonwealth Games 2026 Opening Ceremony Live Updates: India kicks off Commonwealth Games campaign with winning streak – The Tech Word News

The removal of wrestling, badminton, table tennis and shooting has significantly affected India’s medal prospects. These four sports alone accounted for 25 of India’s 61 medals at the 2022 Birmingham Games.

That leaves much of the responsibility to athletics, boxing and weightlifting.

India fielded the maximum allowed 32-member athletics team, the largest contingent among all disciplines, to compete in 22 medal events.

The team is headed by two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra, who heads into the competition without being a clear favourite.

Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga has emerged as the athlete to beat in the men’s javelin after throwing 92.62m to win the Rome Diamond League last month. Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem is also in the field, although Chopra remains among the front-runners for a medal.

High jumper Sarvesh Kushar, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, triple jumper Praveen Chithravel and the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays will also be eyeing medals for India.

The athletics team won eight medals in Birmingham, although that may be difficult to match against stronger competition.

Weightlifting, another sport that has regularly brought medals to India, will once again revolve around Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu.

The 31-year-old is aiming for a third Commonwealth Games gold medal and remains one of India’s top medal hopes.

India’s weightlifting team has been reduced to 11 members after several national lifters returned positive drug tests, curtailing the country’s chances of winning medals in one of its most successful Commonwealth sports.