Gold Coast: Weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu bagged the first gold for India on the first day of Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Thursday. She won the medal in the 48kg category with a combined effort of 196kg.
Gururaja clinched a silver, the first medal for India in the sporting extravaganza, in the Men’s 56kg category.
In boxing, Manoj Kumar thrashed Nigerian opponent Osita Umeh 5-0 to advance to the quarter-final stage in men’s 69kg category.
Weightlifter Muthupandi Raja, however, finished sixth in men’s 62 kg category.
Shuttler Kidambi Srikanth defeated Sri Lanka’s Niluka Karunaratne 21-16, 21-10 in singles as India blanked Sri Lanka 5-0. The mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Chopra and Ruthvika Gadde claimed a 21-15, 19-21, 22-20 win over Sachin Dias and Thilini Pramodika. Sania Nehwal routed Madushika Dilrukshi 21-8, 21-4. The victory was rounded off by Ashwini Ponappa and Sikki Reddy (21-12, 21-14). India later beat Pakistan 5-0.
In the women’s table tennis team event, India beat Sri Lanka 3-0 while India failed to qualify in three separate cycling events.
Swimmer Virdhawal Khade finished eighth in the men’s 50m butterfly event.
