Valluri Ajaya Babu continued India’s strong run in weightlifting at the ongoing Commonwealth Games by winning the silver medal in the men’s 79kg category on Monday night. The 21-year-old produced a standout performance, lifting a Games record 149kg in snatch and 181kg in clean and jerk for a total of 330kg, but narrowly missed gold in a gripping finish.
Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat Muhammad edged Ajaya Babu by the smallest of margins, totalling a Games record 331kg (147kg snatch, 184kg clean and jerk) to take the title. England’s Chris Murray secured bronze with a total of 325kg.
The result also marked India’s sixth medal in weightlifting at this edition of the Games, underlining the country’s continued success in the sport.
How the men’s 79kg contest unfolded
Ajaya Babu began the competition with 145kg listed for his first snatch attempt and completed it with ease, setting the tone for a strong opening segment. He then faced a setback when he failed his second attempt at 149kg, but responded with a crucial lift in his final try, successfully completing 149kg to set a new Games record in the snatch.
That late recovery proved decisive in the standings after the snatch section. Ajaya Babu finished on top of the heap at that stage, ahead of Chris Murray (148kg) and Erry Hidayat Muhammad (147kg), giving the Indian lifter a platform to push for gold in the clean and jerk.
Entering the clean and jerk on a high, Ajaya Babu looked well placed to challenge for the top prize. The contest, however, turned into a record-breaking duel in the final attempts. Hidayat first lifted 181kg to smash the Games record, only for Ajaya Babu to respond within seconds by lifting 181kg in his own final attempt, breaking the record again and moving his total to 330kg.
With the pressure on, Hidayat produced the decisive moment of the night, lifting 184kg in his final attempt to reclaim the record and secure gold with a 331kg total. Ajaya Babu’s 330kg stood as a Games-record total at the time he completed it, but it was surpassed moments later in the dramatic finish.
Chris Murray, who had been close after the snatch phase, ultimately finished third with 325kg to take bronze.
Medal totals and key lifts
Ajaya Babu’s silver came from a 149kg snatch and 181kg clean and jerk, giving him 330kg overall. Hidayat’s gold-winning total was 331kg, built on 147kg in snatch and 184kg in clean and jerk. Murray finished with 325kg for bronze.
What the silver means for Ajaya Babu and India
Ajaya Babu’s silver medal adds to India’s growing tally in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games, becoming the country’s sixth medal in the sport at the current edition. For the lifter from Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, the performance also reinforced his reputation as one of India’s fastest-growing talents.
The 21-year-old had previously won gold in the men’s 79kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad with a personal-best total of 335kg (152kg snatch, 183kg clean and jerk), a performance that broke championship records and earned him a direct qualification spot for Glasgow 2026. He also secured double gold medals in both junior and senior divisions in the men’s 81kg category at the 2024 Commonwealth Championships in Suva, Fiji, and placed 16th overall at the 2025 World Championships in Forde, Norway.
On Monday night, he delivered again on a major stage, setting a Games record in snatch and pushing the eventual champion to a final-lift showdown—an outcome that kept India’s weightlifting momentum rolling at the Commonwealth Games.
