Ajaya Babu: Silver in 79kg at Commonwealth Games. Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu secured the silver medal in the men’s 79kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, adding another achievement to India’s weightlifting tally. The 21-year-old from Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, impressed with a Commonwealth Games record lift of 149kg in the snatch and 181kg in the clean and jerk, totaling 330kg. He finished just one kilogram behind Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad, who won the gold with a Games record total of 331kg.
The battle for gold was intense. After Hidayat lifted 181kg in the clean and jerk to set a new record, Ajaya Babu matched and bettered the effort with his own 181kg lift. However, Hidayat responded by successfully lifting 184kg in his final attempt to reclaim the record and secure the gold. England’s Chris Murray took the bronze with a total lift of 325kg. Earlier in the snatch, Ajaya Babu overcame a failed second attempt at 149kg, lifting it successfully on his third try to set a new record and finish first in that segment.
Ajaya Babu has been among India’s top weightlifters recently. He won gold at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad with a personal-best total of 335kg, earning direct qualification for Glasgow. He also won gold at the 2024 Commonwealth Championships in Suva, Fiji, and finished 16th at the 2025 World Championships in Norway.
The silver medal was India’s sixth in weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, highlighting the nation’s growing strength in the sport. For Ajaya Babu, this performance marks a significant milestone, showcasing his potential on the international stage.