New Delhi: India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav revealed she battled menstrual pain on her way to winning a silver medal at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2026. Gyaneshwari finished in the second spot on the podium in the women’s 53kg weightlifting final at CWG 2026.
The 23-year-old produced her best lift of 88kg in the snatch round before lifting 111kg in the clean & jerk round to lift a total of 199kg in the final. Gyaneshwari won the silver medal after finishing behind Nigeria’s Onome Didih, who bagged the gold medal in . The weightlifter recently opened up on how she kept telling herself to focus despite battling menstrual pain during the final.
“I had trained under such conditions before, but had never competed on the first day of my periods. I kept telling myself to stay focused, and my family and coaches also kept assuring me that everything would be fine,” Gyaneshwari said while speaking to PTI after returning to India from Glasgow.
The silver medallist said she competed in the final with a calm mindset despite the pain, which helped her stay focused on her goal and clear all her lifts. The 23-year-old started with lifts of 82kg and 85kg in the snatch round before producing her best of 88kg. In the clean & jerk category, she started with 103kg before bettering it to 111kg in her final attempt to bag the silver medal.
“I told myself that the pain was nothing compared to my goal and that motivated me to clear all my lifts,” Gyaneshwari said on her silver medal triumph.
Gyaneshwari Yadav dedicates her success to her father
Gyaneshwari dedicated her success to her father, revealing how her family supported her throughout her journey as an athlete and provided collective support to help her achieve her dreams. The 23-year-old recalled her father carrying her on his bicycle to the gym every day and motivating her to make it to the international stage in weightlifting.
“There is a lot of struggle behind every success. My parents struggled alongside me. I still remember my father pushing me on his bicycle to the gym every day. He had once told me that he could never make it to the national or international stage, but wanted me to achieve that dream and bring glory to the country,” said Gyaneshwari.
Gyaneshwari received a cash reward of Rs 30 lakh from Chhattisgarh chief minister Vinshnu Dev Sai and was promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in her state. She started her journey in weightlifting at a very young age before rising through the ranks in the state’s sports development system.
Over the last few years, Gyaneshwari has emerged as one of the most consistent weightlifters for India and has already represented the country in multiple international events, including the Asian Championships, Commonwealth Championships, World Weightlifting Championships and the Commonwealth Games.