A 9.81m throw in the women's shot put F57 ends a 20-year wait, as Shilpa K Shyla's bronze completes a historic double podium at Glasgow 2026
Sharmila Dhankar won gold in the women's shot put F57 at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a season-best throw of 9.81m, according to reports by the Tribune India and Outlook India. The win is India's first-ever Commonwealth Games para athletics gold medal and ends a 20-year wait for the country for a para athletics medal at the Games, per India TV News and the Vajiram & Ravi current affairs report.
Ghana's Zinabu Issah took silver with a best effort of 8.65m, Outlook India reported. India's Shilpa K Shyla, who had initially finished fourth with a personal-best 7.26m, was elevated to bronze after Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi had her sole valid throw ruled a foul, according to Outlook India's report on the final, giving India a historic double podium in the event.
The F57 classification is for seated athletes with lower-limb impairments, Outlook India reported, noting that Dhankar entered the final with the second-best personal record among competitors at 10.03m, behind Iyiazi's benchmark mark of 11.11m.
India, 9.81m, a season-best throw in the women's shot put F57.
Ghana, 8.65m.
India, 7.26m personal best, elevated from fourth after a foul was called on Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi.
Dhankar, 40, is from Chhithroli village in Haryana and contracted polio at the age of two, according to Boldsky's report on her background. She survived domestic violence in her first marriage and raised two daughters independently before remarrying businessman Ajit Singh from Rewari, the report said.
She began competitive para-athletics only in 2020, at age 34, training under coach Tek Chand, and became national champion within a year, Boldsky reported. Her husband sold the family's house in 2023 to fund her training and competition costs, according to the same report. "I am extremely happy to win a medal for my country. I feel really proud, and I will continue bringing glory to the nation," Dhankar said, as quoted by Boldsky.
Dhankar took up competitive shot put at 34 in 2020 and became national champion within a year, according to Boldsky.
Her husband sold their house in 2023 to help fund her training and competitions, Boldsky reported.
Dhankar's win came on Day 5 of the Glasgow 2026 Games and helped push India's overall medal tally to 10 (two gold, five silver, three bronze) by the end of the day, moving the country to eighth place in the standings and ahead of New Zealand, according to Outlook India's Day 5 recap. The report described it as India's best day of the Games so far, with a six-medal haul on the day.
Sarvesh Kushare won silver in the men's high jump on the same day, while Valluri Ajaya Babu and Gyaneshwari Yadav also took silver medals, and Bindyarani Devi added a bronze, Outlook India reported. Tribune India's report, filed shortly after Dhankar's win, had placed India's tally at eight medals (two gold, four silver, two bronze) at that point, with weightlifting medallists Mirabai Chanu, Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, Raja Muthupandi and Gyaneshwari Yadav, high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, weightlifter Bindyarani Devi and para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar named among India's other medal winners so far at the Games.
Gold medals for India by the end of Day 5, per Outlook India.
Silver medals for India by the end of Day 5.
Bronze medals for India by the end of Day 5.
India's overall rank in the medal standings after Day 5, ahead of New Zealand.
Glasgow 2026's closing ceremony formally hands the Commonwealth Games to Amdavad in 2030, and the full sports programme for that edition, including which para-sport events will feature, has not yet been finalised. World Athletics reported that Commonwealth Sport has said only that "the full list of sports will be finalised next year," with athletics already confirmed as part of the programme.
Performances like Dhankar's and Shyla's at Glasgow add to the case for a strong para-sport presence when Ahmedabad hosts the Centenary Games, though organisers have not yet detailed the eventual para-sport line-up.
Sharmila Dhankar won gold in the women's shot put F57 with a 9.81m throw at Glasgow 2026, India's first-ever Commonwealth Games para athletics gold, according to Tribune India and Outlook India.
She threw a season-best 9.81m in the women's shot put F57 final, per Outlook India.
Yes, Shilpa K Shyla won bronze with a personal-best 7.26m after Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi had her only valid throw ruled a foul, giving India a double podium, according to Outlook India.
Dhankar is 40 and began competitive para-athletics in 2020 at age 34, becoming national champion within a year, according to Boldsky.
India had 10 medals (two gold, five silver, three bronze) and ranked eighth overall after Day 5, according to Outlook India.