Para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar won bronze medal at Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Expressing happiness, he said that his next goal is to win gold in Asian Games and Olympics. The coach appreciated their struggle and called it a proud moment for the country.
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [भारत]July 28 (ANI): Para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar expressed his happiness after winning the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and said he aims to keep bringing glory to the country in the upcoming major events including the Asian Games and Olympics.
Jhandu Kumar won a bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. The 28-year-old athlete, competing in Group B, recorded his best lift of 190 kg in his second attempt, earning him 130.9 points. Notably, a reception was organized at the Sports Authority of India (SAI)’s National Center of Excellence (NCoE), Gandhinagar to honor Jhandu Kumar and Arjuna Awardee coach Rajender Singh Rahelu.
Speaking to ANI, Jhandu Kumar expressed his immense happiness after this achievement, and said that the happiness of this moment cannot be expressed in words. He said, “Today is really a very happy moment, and I am so happy that I cannot even explain it. I mean, if you see, because of this happiness, I have not been able to sleep properly for three days. So now you can imagine for yourself how happy I am.”
Next target is gold in Asian Games and Olympics
Jhandu Kumar said his next targets are the Asian Games and Olympics, where he aims to prepare strongly and win a gold medal for India. He said, “My next [लक्ष्य] There are Asian Games and Olympics. I will prepare very well for them. And I will bring a medal – I will bring a gold medal.”
‘Journey from selling vegetables to medal’
Coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu described Zhandu’s Commonwealth Games medal as a proud moment for India and highlighted his inspiring journey from selling vegetables to reaching the international stage. He said Zhandu has been training at SAI Gandhinagar since 2023 and described him as a dedicated athlete with a strong work ethic.
He said, “Zhandu has won a medal; for one thing, it is a good thing… This is the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. This was the first medal for Zhandu Kumar. And it is a very good thing, a matter of honor for India, a matter of happiness; it is a matter of pride. And the rest, as you are seeing on all channels, from selling vegetables to the Commonwealth medal, you can imagine how much his journey must have been full of struggles. But He has been training with us at SAI Gandhinagar since 2023; he trains very well, diligently, he is a very good boy.”
Guru had won the medal on this same platform 12 years ago
Expressing his happiness over Jhandu Kumar’s medal, Rajinder Singh Rahelu said that the achievement was even more special as he had won a silver medal 12 years ago in 2014 at the same Commonwealth Games stage in Glasgow, and now his student has achieved success there too.
He said, “I am very happy, because for me it is double the happiness, that 12 years ago at the Commonwealth I myself won a medal, a silver medal, and 12 years later today on the same stage, on the same stage in Glasgow where I won the medal, my student has won a medal, so it is a matter of great joy for me.”
Rahelu said the team is currently preparing for the Para Asian Games to be held in Nagoya, Japan in October, while the main long-term goal remains to win a medal at the Paralympic Games to be held in Los Angeles in 2028. He said, “Next, right now we are preparing for the Para Asian Games in Japan; we are preparing for that. But our main target is a Paralympic medal, which will be in LA (Los Angeles) in 2028; that is the target we are working towards.” (ANI)
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