CWG: Sharmila ends India’s 20-year para-athletic wait with dramatic double
Twenty years after India last celebrated a para-athletics medal at the Commonwealth Games, Sharmila Dhankar has ensured that the wait is finally over. The 40-year-old clocked a season’s best throw of 9.81m to win gold in the women’s F57 shot put final to become India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games athletics champion and the first Indian woman to win a Para athletics medal at the Games.
But just when the Indian celebrations seemed to have reached their peak, the story took an unexpected turn.
Minutes after Sharmila’s triumph, Shilpa Kanchugarakoppalu’s teammate Shyla, who had originally finished fourth, was awarded the bronze medal after officials reviewed the results and changed Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi’s mark to a “no”. The reason for the decision has not been confirmed at the time of writing, but the dramatic overhaul has given India its first ever double podium finish in para athletics at the Commonwealth Games.
It was a day that was equal parts history, resilience and unexpected drama.
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FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING
For Sharmila, Glasgow was about redemption.
She narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2022 Birmingham Games after finishing fourth in the same event. Four years later, she returned with unfinished business and gave the performance of her career.
Her winning throw of 9.81m not only secured gold but also rewrote Indian para athletics history. It ended a 20-year wait for a Commonwealth Games medal in para athletics, dating back to 2006, and made her the first ever gold medalist in the event at the Games.
However, the medal represented much more than just a sporting achievement.
THE PATH OF RESILIENCE
Born in Chhithroli village in Haryana’s Rewari district, Sharmila’s life changed when she contracted paralysis in her left leg at the age of two after a high fever.
The challenges did not end there. She endured an early marriage marked by domestic violence before rebuilding her life with the support of her family. Today she lives in Rewari with her husband Ajit Singh and their two children.
It was Ajit who encouraged her to take up para athletics in 2020, a decision that changed her life. Under coach Tek Chand, Sharmil’s rise was rapid. Within a year, she became the national champion before establishing herself as one of India’s leading F57 throwers in both shot put and discus.
She won gold at the Fazza International Para Athletics Championship earlier this year, offering a glimpse of what was to come in Glasgow.
On Monday, she confirmed that she is among the world’s best.
A TWIST THAT NO ONE EXPECTED
While Sharmila celebrated the biggest win of her career, another Indian athlete believed her Games ended in heartbreak.
Shilpa had a personal best throw of 7.26m but ended up in fourth place, narrowly missing out on a medal. It seemed like a cruel end to years of hard work.
After that, officials began reviewing the results.
After a review, Eucharia Iyiazi of Nigeria, who originally occupied the bronze medal position, was re-marked to no. Although the officials did not immediately explain the reason for the decision, the revision elevated Shilpa to bronze and changed the mood inside the arena.
At one point, she watched the medal ceremony from the sidelines. Another was a Commonwealth Games medalist.
The emotional scenes that followed perfectly captured the meaning of the moment. Shilpa broke down in tears as she hugged Sharmila as the Indian contingent celebrated an unexpected second medal.
The dramatic result capped India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games podium finish in para athletics.
TWO DIFFERENT ROUTES, ONE HISTORICAL DAY
Like Sharmila, Shilpa’s journey to Glasgow was built on resilience.
Born into a financially modest family in Karnataka, she lost the use of one of her legs after a road accident at the age of four. She first entered para sports through para volleyball before switching to athletics where she trained under coach Eshan SD in Bengaluru.
Years of perseverance culminated in a personal best throw on the Commonwealth Games stage. Although she had to wait longer than expected for the result, her performance of 7.26m ended up earning her the biggest medal of her career.
Together, the two women experienced one of India’s defining moments at Glasgow 2026.
Sharmila became the country’s first Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the first Indian woman to win a Para athletics medal at the Games. Shilpa added a bronze after a dramatic assessment, ensuring that India celebrated two medals in the same para-athletics event for the first time.
One athlete completed a comeback four years in the making. The other thought her medal hopes were dashed before she left the arena with a bronze around her neck.
Together, they have done much more than just adding two medals to India’s tally. They ended a 20-year wait, created several firsts for Indian para sports and created a Commonwealth Games story that will be remembered long after Glasgow 2026 draws to a close.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
28 Jul 2026 04:20 IST