Commonwealth Games Day 9 2026 Live: Neeraj Chopra settles for silver

Neeraj Chopra’s fifth attempt in the men's javelin throw final ended in a foul on Friday, a moment of individual frustration that contrasted sharply with the collective precision of India's boxing squad, who swept their semifinals with a series of unanimous 5-0 decisions.

The Olympic champion settled for silver with a best mark of 85.83m, unable to overhaul Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage. However, the day's results shifted the narrative of Indian sports at the Glasgow Games from a reliance on a single superstar to a systemic surge, characterized by a clean sweep in boxing and a historic first-ever decathlon medal.

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Javelin: A Field of Faults and a Surprise Bronze

The men's javelin final began with instability among the favorites. Livemint reported a stunning collapse for reigning Commonwealth and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who struggled with his run-up and release. After three attempts, Nadeem remained in ninth place with a mark of 77.41m, failing to advance to the final three rounds.

While the field struggled, Rumesh Pathirage produced a dominant 89.75m throw to secure gold. Chopra, who had progressed from a 79.61m qualification throw, fought to regain the lead. His efforts included an 80.73m throw on his fourth attempt and an 81.29m mark on his third. Despite urging the crowd for support before his penultimate throw, he stepped over the line, leaving him unable to challenge Pathirage's lead.

The event provided an unexpected secondary triumph for India. Yashvir Singh recorded a personal best of 85.41m to claim bronze, edging out Douw Smit and the struggling favorites. Along with Chopra, this ensured two Indians stood on the podium in a field that included world champion Anderson Peters, who also struggled with early fouls and height errors in his throws.

Boxing: The Counter-Punching Template

While the javelin event was marked by unpredictability, the boxing ring saw disciplined dominance. According to the Economic Times, Indian boxers adopted a specific tactical template of composure and counter-punching to dismantle their opponents.

• Narender Berwal: Secured a unanimous victory over Nigel Paul of Trinidad and Tobago, winning the opening round 5-0 by finding his range midway through and landing a decisive left hook.
• Jadumani Singh Mandengbam: Used defensive slipping and dodging to neutralize the aggression of Haoseb, securing a unanimous decision.
• Jaismine Lamboria: Delivered a dominant performance resulting in a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) victory over Maselela after a series of powerful punches forced three standing counts.
• Priya Ghanghas: Advanced to the final via a unanimous 5-0 decision against Lucy.

Out of a 14-member contingent, 10 Indian boxers have now reached the finals, a result that signifies a broad-based success for the national program.

Decathlon and Judo: Gritty Breakthroughs

Tejaswin Shankar secured India's first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon, claiming bronze with a total of 7,976 points. Shankar's campaign was a study in resilience, as he competed while battling a troublesome knee injury. He entered the final day in second place with 4,339 points, having already set a personal best of 7.82m in the long jump and 39.66m in the discus.

His medal was sealed in the 1,500m, where he clocked 4:36.19, successfully holding off Sammy Ball's 4:32.29 to maintain his podium position. He finished behind gold medalist Lindon Victor and silver medalist Damian Warner.

In judo, India experienced a mixed result of technical precision and penalty-driven loss. Harsh Singh captured gold in the men's 60kg category by defeating Australia's Joshua Katz via Waza-Ari (10-0), marking only the second judo gold in India's Commonwealth Games history. Conversely, Yamini Mourya took silver in the women's 57kg event. Her final against England's Acelya Toprak lasted nearly seven minutes but was decided by penalties; Mourya accumulated three Shido penalties, resulting in a red card and an Ippon victory for Toprak.

Asmita Dey added further gold to the tally with a 2-1 Yuko victory over a Canadian opponent, finishing her campaign unbeaten.

The focus now shifts to Saturday, when all 10 advancing Indian boxers will compete in their respective finals for gold medals.

Javelin Dynamics and Decathlon Data

The men's javelin final was defined by a stark contrast in form. While Rumesh Pathirage dominated with a single massive 89.75m mark, established stars struggled. Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth champion, suffered a complete collapse, recording a best of 77.41m and finishing ninth. He failed to advance to the final three rounds after an opening foul, according to LiveMint.

India's presence in the final was historic, as the country qualified three men for the event for the first time in Commonwealth Games history. Rohit Yadav (78.37m) and Yashvir Singh (78.36m) joined Chopra in the 12-man field, as detailed by Outlook India.

Shankar's bronze was a result of consistent improvement despite a knee injury. He earned 1,015 points from his long jump and 658 points from the discus. His final performance in the 1,500m allowed him to maintain his position over Sammy Ball, who clocked 4:32.29 but could not overcome the points deficit.

Boxing's Gold Rush

The boxing campaign reached a critical peak on Friday. Following the unanimous semifinal victories of Narender Berwal, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, and Priya Ghanghas, other athletes like Sachin Siwach also advanced. Siwach secured his place in the final by utilizing sharp left hooks and inviting shots to control his exchanges against Owain.

This collective success means that 10 of the 14 members of the Indian boxing contingent have now secured a place in the finals. The next step for these athletes is to compete in their respective gold medal bouts on Saturday.