'One Kilo Short': Ajaya Babu Eyes Olympic Redemption After CWG 2026 Silver

For most athletes, a Commonwealth Games silver medal is a career-defining achievement. For Valluri Ajaya Babu, it came with a lingering thought: what if one more kilogram had gone up?

The Indian weightlifter returned home from Glasgow with a silver medal in the men's 79kg category, but his mind was already on the lift that slipped away. Gold, he said, was only a kilogram out of reach.

Rather than dwelling on the narrow miss, the 79kg lifter has already fixed his gaze on bigger targets. His next mission is qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, while keeping one eye on the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Ajaya wasn't the only Indian lifter to return with unfinished business.

Men's 65kg silver medallist Muthupandi Raja admitted he had travelled to Glasgow chasing gold, making the silver medal feel both rewarding and motivating.

"It feels great because this is my first international medal. Of course, I wanted the gold, so there's some disappointment. But this is just the beginning," he said.

The warm reception awaiting the Indian contingent at the airport added another layer of motivation.

"Seeing so many people come to welcome us feels wonderful. Now it's time to sit down with my coach and begin preparing for the Olympic qualification," Muthupandi said.

Women's 69kg silver medallist Harjinder Kaur also viewed Glasgow as another step forward rather than the destination.

"I won bronze last time and silver this time. That shows improvement. I hope to do even better in the next competitions," she said.

Bronze medallist Bindyarani Devi echoed the sentiment, thanking supporters while promising stronger performances in the years ahead.

India's weightlifting campaign at the Commonwealth Games yielded an impressive haul led by Mirabai Chanu's gold in the women's 48kg category. The contingent also collected silver medals through Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Valluri Ajaya Babu, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh, while Bindyarani Devi added a bronze.

For the medal winners, however, Glasgow already feels like a milestone, not the finish line. One is haunted by a single kilogram. Another by the colour of the medal. All of them are now lifting their sights towards Los Angeles.

(With inputs from ANI)