Mumbai: Even before the Indian contingent got down to business at the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Glasgow, the country was already assured of one medal, courtesy boxer Lovlina Borgohain’s free pass to the semi-finals of the wafer-thin 75kg draw.
Once things kicked off on the opening ceremony-headlined day of these truncated Games, a positive result set the tone for India. In early bowls action on Thursday, Putul Sonowal, featuring in his first CWG, upset Canada’s Ryan Bester—the reigning outdoor World Bowls Championship gold medallist turning up for his seventh CWG—in their men’s singles Section D opener.
The women’s lawn bowls hopefuls also made a winning start, with Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki defeating Malta in the women’s pairs first round match. Both matches were secured in tiebreaks.
Borgohain, one of India’s flagbearers at the opening ceremony, did not even have to step into the ring to secure a medal. Her women’s 75kg weight category had only five entries, and the Indian was handed a bye in the quarter-finals. All semi-finalists in boxing at the CWG are assured a medal.
The Tokyo Olympic medallist, however, will be eager to upgrade the medal’s colour, which will incidentally be her first at the CWG. It completes a rich cabinet of medals also comprising the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and Asian Championships. Borgohain will take on Tarona Khanum Badi Pasoni Taafaki of Tuvalu on July 31 for a place in the final.
Many other Indian boxers also received first-round byes in this curtailed edition of the CWG that features just 10 able-bodied sports. Boxing was the joint fourth-most productive sport in India’s 61-high medals tally at the 2022 CWG, and will be expected to do some heavy lifting again.
Lawn bowls was a surprise contributor in 2022, with the women clinching a first-ever gold and the men taking silver in the fours discipline. Despite that event being dropped for this edition and playing conditions altered considerably (for the first time in CWG history, lawn bowls is held indoors with a much faster format), the Indians began in promising fashion.
Sonowal is the only one in the six-member squad that was not among the history-makers in 2022 in Birmingham. In Glasgow, he got his CWG journey rolling in some style.
The debutant kept his calm in a tight tussle with his experienced opponent that needed a tiebreak after the two split the couple of sets.
With a daunting CV in lawn bowls, Bester was a tough first test for Sonowal. The 41-year-old Canadian has pocketed a total of 18 medals across the CWG, World Championships and the Asia Pacific Championships. A three-time CWG medallist in singles (2006 bronze, 2014 silver, 2018 silver), he was the singles champion at the 2023 World Outdoor Championship in Gold Coast.
The Indian first-timer, though, showed no signs of intimidation from the onset.
Sonowal took the first two points from the two ends, before Bester clawed back and took a lead at 3-2. With the set locked at 4-4, it came down to the seventh and final end. Bester clapped his palms in frustration after his final shot of the set didn’t go where intended. A shot later, Sonowal had pocketed the opening set 5-4.
Bester showed his experience and class in the second set, roaring back into the contest with dominance. From 2-2, the Canadian kept the Indian at arm’s length and took the set 7-3 to unlock a shootoff.
That’s where the Indian showed fine composure to come out on top in the tiebreak. As soon as he was declared the winner, Sonowal raised his right fist. He walked out of the rink with a smile on his face, and a little wave to the crowd. The win briefly put him atop his group, although he has plenty more to do to advance to the next stage.
In women’s pairs, Rupa and Pinki made things a little difficult for themselves after cruising to 7-1 in the first set. Malta edged ahead 4-3 in the second set before the Indians regrouped to capture the tiebreak.
