Kenya Bags First 2026 Commonwealth Games Medal
Weightlifting sensation Mboya Joshua Amunga Team Kenya's first medal at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday, 26 July, by claiming a bronze in men’s 60 kilograms category.
Having endured a torrid opening two days in the competition,
Kenya was granted its first moment having endured a torrid opening two days in the competition, when the 21-year-old Amunga produced a perfect showing at the SEC Armadillo auditorium, lifting a total of 260kgs to finish third in a thrilling final.
Amunga, who is also a beneficiary of the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship heading into the 2028 LA Games, lifted a perfect 115 kg on snatch and 145 on clean and jerk, to edge his rivals and take the last spot on the podium.
Leading the way in the contest was Malaysia’s Bin Kasdan Mohamad, who took gold with a new Commonwealth Games Record total of 273 kgs, while India’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam won silver, thanks to a total lift of 264 kgs.
With the bronze, Amunga gave Kenya lift off at the Games, all while earning his nation a 259th medal at the competition since its inception.
Elsewhere across Glasgow, Kenya’s underwhelming performances in bowling, basketball and swimming continued, with very little to cheer on.
In bowling, Kenya’s Anwar Hamada extended his winless run at this year’s edition after suffering two defeats in the men’s Singles sectional play, to effectively end his ambitions for a medal.
The 59-year-old, having lost of his opening group matches, fell in straight sets to both Shaun James Parnis of Malta and USA’s Izzat Shameer, to leave him bottom of Section D without a point in four matches.
His last game in the competition will come on Monday, 28 July, when he comes up against India’s Putul Sonowal.
In the women’s pairs sectional play, a similar set of performance was witnessed, as Kenya’s duo of Eunice Mbugua and Nancy Cheruiyot stumbled to a 2-0 sets defeat to Wales, leaving them without a win in four matches.
Currently placed fifth in Section C, the pair will end their campaign with a match against Botswana on Monday, 28 July.
Meanwhile in the 3x3 courts, both Kenya men’s wheelchair and women’s basketball teams suffered defeats on Sunday, pushing them closer to their exits.
After falling to reigning silver medalists Canada in their opener on Friday, Kenya’s men wheelchair team made it back-to-back defeats after going 21-5 to Australia, to remain bottom of Pool A with one game against England left to play on Monday, 28 July.
The women’s team, on the other hand, extended their awful run with a 16-21 defeat to Jamaica, a result that all but ended their run at the Games.
With just one win in four matches, Kenya will wrap up their campaign with a Pool A match against Cayman Islands later on Sunday.