CWG 2026: Valluri Ajaya Babu Powers To Silver In Men’s 79kg Weightlifting

Published 27 July 2026 · india

CWG 2026: Valluri Ajaya Babu Powers To Silver In Men’s 79kg Weightlifting Published By, Last Updated: July 28, 2026, 03:18 IST Valluri Ajaya Babu wins

CWG 2026: Valluri Ajaya Babu Powers To Silver In Men’s 79kg Weightlifting Published By, Last Updated: July 28, 2026, 03:18 IST Valluri Ajaya Babu wins silver at CWG, setting a snatch record. India's medal run continues. Rapid Read Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in men's 79kg weightlifting (Picture credit: X) Fast-rising Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu delivered a brilliant performance to bag the silver medal in the men’s 79kg category, extending India’s impressive medal-winning run in weightlifting at the ongoing Commonwealth Games. The 21-year-old from Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district set a Games record in the snatch with a 149kg lift and followed it up with 181kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a total of 330kg.

Ajaya Babu missed out on gold to Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who produced a Games record total of 331kg (147kg snatch and 184kg clean and jerk) in a thrilling contest on Monday night. This was India’s sixth medal in weightlifting in the current edition of the Games. England’s Chris Murray settled for bronze with a total of 325. First, Hidayat set a new Games record with a 181kg clean and jerk lift. Moments later, Ajaya Babu responded with a successful 181kg lift in his final attempt, breaking the record once again and finishing with a total of 330kg. Hidayat did one better, breaking the record again with a lift of 184kg in his final attempt to win the gold medal.

After failing his second attempt at 149kg, Ajaya Babu bounced back well on his final try to lift the weight and set a new Games record. He finished the snatch segment in first place, leading England’s Chris Murray (148kg) and Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad (147kg) heading into the clean and jerk. He had 145kg listed as his first attempt and nailed it too well. Entering the clean and jerk section on a high, Ajaya Babu looked confident of winning the top prize, but his opponent from Malaysia edged the Indian out. Regarded as one of India’s fastest-rising weightlifters, Ajaya Babu had earlier clinched gold in the men’s 79kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad.

News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: July 28, 2026, 03:07 IST News sports other-sports CWG 2026: Valluri Ajaya Babu Powers To Silver In Men’s 79kg Weightlifting Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...