Amunga ends Kenya's wait with Commonwealth Bronze in Glasgow

Joshua Amunga Mboya heavylifting at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. [Courtesy]

Team Kenya's long-awaited medal breakthrough at the 2026 Commonwealth Games finally arrived on Sunday in Glasgow.

20-year-old weightlifting sensation Joshua Amunga Mboya competing in the Men's 60kg category at the SEC Armadillo, the young lifter displayed remarkable determination and composure to secure Kenya's first medal of the Games.

“Congratulations to Joshua Amunga Mboya on winning Kenya’s first medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, securing bronze in the Men’s 260kg Weightlifting competition,” said Sports CS Salim Mvurya.

Amunga claimed the bronze medal after lifting a combined total of 260kg, consisting of 115kg in the snatch and 145kg in the clean and jerk. His impressive total comfortably secured third place ahead of Sri Lanka's SDSS Wiriduwagle, who finished fourth with 244kg.

From Right Kenya's Joshua Amunga Mboya, Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan and India's Rishikanta Singh during medal awarding on July 26, 2026. [Courtesy]

Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan dominated the competition, winning the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record total lift of 273kg, while India's Rishikanta Singh earned the silver medal after another strong performance.

Speaking moments after receiving his medal, the visibly emotional Kenyan described the victory as the happiest moment of his sporting life.

He admitted that the competition presented enormous pressure because many unfamiliar opponents were entered in the event, making it difficult to predict the outcome.

Nevertheless, he remained focused throughout his preparations, trusting his training and believing in his ability to compete with the continent's best.

The achievement becomes even more remarkable considering the challenges he faced earlier this year. Amunga revealed that he spent nearly three months recovering from an injury sustained in April, forcing him to rebuild his strength just weeks before the Games.

Rather than losing hope, he patiently followed his recovery program and gradually returned to full fitness, ensuring he would be ready for Glasgow.

His manager, Pius Ochieng, praised the youngster's resilience and predicted an even brighter future for the talented weightlifter.

Amunga also credited his long-time coach, who introduced him to the sport while he was finishing primary school in Thika around 2019 or 2020.

The coach consistently encouraged him to remain patient, trust the process, and never allow pressure to overwhelm him—advice that proved invaluable on the Commonwealth stage.

Ironically, Amunga never imagined becoming an international weightlifting star. As a child, football was the only sport he knew. It was only after discovering weightlifting that he realized his potential and dedicated himself to mastering the discipline.

Weightlifting has steadily grown in Kenya despite the country's global reputation for producing world-class athletes in middle- and long-distance running.