Glasgow: India’s para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar dedicated his bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 to years of perseverance, saying his difficult journey of driving an e-rickshaw and selling vegetables only strengthened his resolve to succeed.
Moments after clinching the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event on Friday, an emotional Jhandu told IANS that he had always believed his hard work would eventually pay off.
“I drove an e-rickshaw, sold vegetables and struggled a lot to support myself. But I never gave up on my dream. I always had faith that one day I would definitely win a medal for my country,” Jhandu said.
Competing in a two-group field, Jhandu topped Group B with a best result of 130.9, comfortably finishing ahead of Uganda’s Dennis Mbaziira (114.1) and Australia’s Ben Wright (110.9) to advance into medal contention.
In the combined standings, however, Nigeria’s Riluwan Idris produced the best overall lift of 132.8 to clinch the gold medal, while England’s Matthew Harding claimed silver with 131.0. Jhandu’s effort of 130.9 was enough to secure the bronze medal, finishing just 0.1 behind Harding in a closely contested battle for silver.
His inspiring story stood out as much as his performance on the platform, highlighting the grit and determination behind India’s latest medal at the Games.
Jhandu’s bronze is a reward for years of sacrifice and relentless hard work, overcoming financial hardships while continuing to pursue his sporting ambitions. His achievement also adds to India’s growing medal tally at the Glasgow Games and serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes from humble backgrounds.
Reflecting on his achievement, Jhandu said the medal belongs not just to him but to everyone who supported him during his toughest days, adding that the success has only motivated him to aim for bigger honours in the future.
(IANS)
