More Than a Medal: How Rishikanta Singh Turned Silver Into History for Manipur
For a few fleeting moments, the gold medal looked destined to belong to Rishikanta Singh. The Indian weightlifter had just rewritten the Commonwealth Games record books with a stunning 121kg lift in the men’s 60kg snatch, putting himself in pole position for gold. But just when the finish line was in sight, his injured knee gave way.
What followed was a battle not against his rivals, but against pain.
Unable to generate enough power in the clean and jerk, Rishikanta settled for silver with a total lift of 264kg. It was not the result he had travelled to Glasgow for. Yet by the end of the competition, the colour of the medal had become secondary.
His silver carried historic significance—it made him the first male weightlifter from Manipur to win a Commonwealth Games medal.
When Gold Slipped Away
Rishikanta entered the clean and jerk with the advantage after producing a Commonwealth Games record in the snatch. A solid performance in his stronger event would have secured the gold. However, a knee injury suffered just a week before the Games resurfaced at the worst possible time.
He successfully lifted 143kg but failed in his next two attempts at 148kg and 151kg as the injury prevented him from completing the jerk.
“I came here for gold. After the snatch, I was in the leading position, but my knee created a problem. I was able to clean the weight but could not push because one thigh was not working properly. I tried my best,” Rishikanta told PTI.
Realising the injury had become too severe, he changed his approach midway through the event. “I told my coach that we should first secure the medal with one successful lift and then go for bigger weights. I didn’t want to miss out on a medal,” he said.
A Historic First for Manipur
Although Manipur has long been known as India’s weightlifting powerhouse, producing several international stars, especially among women, no male lifter from the state had previously won a Commonwealth Games medal.
Rishikanta changed that.
His silver ended a long wait and added a new chapter to Manipur’s rich sporting legacy. The medal was not just a personal milestone but a breakthrough for an entire state that has consistently nurtured weightlifting talent.
- From Humble Beginnings to the Commonwealth Podium
- Rishikanta’s journey reflects years of perseverance.
Raised in a modest family in Manipur, he watched his father earn a living as a daily-wage labourer while supporting his sporting dreams. He began training at the National Sports Academy in Imphal before progressing through India’s elite weightlifting programme and later representing the Indian Army.
His rise gathered momentum after a record-breaking performance at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, where he established himself as one of India’s strongest medal contenders heading into Glasgow. Gold may have slipped away because of an untimely injury, but Rishikanta returned with something that will endure far longer than a medal.
His silver was not a story of falling short—it was a story of breaking barriers, making history and proving that sometimes, a silver medal can shine brighter than gold.
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