India At CWG 2026 Judo Preview: Avtar Singh, Ishroop Narang Eye Strong Finish To India’s Historic Campaign

Indian judo has entered a new era at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, scripting its most successful campaign in the history of the event. With four medals already secured, including two historic gold medals, the Indian judokas will look to add to their tally as the remaining bouts take place at the Scottish Event Campus.

The landmark run began with Asmita Dey creating history by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Competing in the women's -48kg category, Asmita delivered a composed performance to claim the top spot on the podium before Harsh Singh added another gold medal for India in the men's category.

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The medal haul was further strengthened by Yamini Mourya, who secured a silver medal, while Unnati Sharma added a bronze in the women's -63kg category. The 23-year-old, a 2025 National Games champion, defeated South Africa's Skye Knoester by ippon in the bronze-medal bout, finishing the contest in just one minute and seven seconds with a decisive leg hook.

The medal haul was further strengthened by Yamini Mourya, who secured a silver medal, while Unnati Sharma added a bronze in the women's -63kg category. The 23-year-old, a 2025 National Games champion, defeated South Africa's Skye Knoester by ippon in the bronze-medal bout, finishing the contest in just one minute and seven seconds with a decisive leg hook.

With two gold, one silver and one bronze, India has already achieved its best-ever Commonwealth Games performance in judo.

Avtar Singh Leads India's Final Judo Push

The focus now shifts to Avtar Singh, who will spearhead India's challenge in the men's -100kg category. The Rio 2016 Olympian brings valuable international experience and will aim to add another medal to India's historic campaign.

Avtar, who trains at Sports Authority of India Bhopal, will be joined by fellow SAI Bhopal trainee Yash Ghangas, who will compete in the men's +100kg category. Both judokas will look to build on India's momentum and extend the country's record medal tally in Glasgow.

Ishroop Narang Looks To Continue India's Rise

Among the young athletes carrying India's hopes is 19-year-old Ishroop Narang, who has emerged as one of the country's brightest judo prospects.

Making her Commonwealth Games debut in the women's -78kg category, Ishroop arrives in Glasgow after a series of impressive performances on the international circuit. She won a silver medal at the Junior Asian Championships and followed it up with a bronze at the Junior Asian Cup, establishing herself as one of India's most promising young judokas.

Competing in one of judo's most physically demanding weight categories has helped Ishroop develop patience, resilience and tactical awareness. For the teenager, every competition has been an opportunity to learn and improve.

"Every competition teaches you something new. When you compete against stronger and more experienced athletes, you understand where you need to improve. My focus has always been on getting better with every tournament, trusting my training and staying calm when I step onto the mat," Ishroop said.

Her development has also been shaped by the high-performance environment at the Inspire Institute of Sport, where she trains alongside athletes from multiple disciplines.

"Training at the Inspire Institute of Sport has given me an environment where I can focus completely on improving every day. Living on campus with athletes from different sports motivates you because everyone is working towards the same goal," she added.

Her coach Baye Diawara believes Ishroop's discipline and willingness to learn have been crucial in her rapid progress.

"Ishroop is someone who is always looking to improve. She approaches every training session with the mindset of learning something new and has steadily developed the maturity needed to compete at the international level," Diawara said.

India Eyeing A Historic Judo Finish

India's breakthrough in Glasgow marks a major milestone for the sport, which has traditionally struggled to produce consistent success at major multi-sport events.

The emergence of young athletes like Ishroop, combined with experienced campaigners such as Avtar Singh, highlights the growing depth in Indian judo.

As the competition reaches its final stage, India's judokas will look to add more medals and cap off a historic Commonwealth Games campaign that has already rewritten the country's judo record books.