India endured a mixed day in the judo competition at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with Ishroop Narang emerging as the lone judoka to advance beyond the opening round. While the 22-year-old reached the women’s -78kg quarterfinals, she suffered a defeat against England’s Emma Reid but remains in contention for a bronze medal through the repechage. Meanwhile, Avtar Singh and Yash Ghanghas bowed out after losses in their respective Round of 16 bouts.
Ishroop overcomes Nicole Wood to book quarterfinal berth
Narang began her campaign with a gritty win over Scotland’s Nicole Wood to secure a place in the quarterfinals. The contest remained scoreless throughout regulation, with both judokas relying on solid defence. Wood received an early Shido penalty for passivity before Narang was also penalised later in the bout.The match was eventually decided in Golden Score, where Narang kept her composure despite picking up another Shido. Moments later, she executed the decisive move, throwing Wood onto her side to earn a Yuko and seal a hard-fought victory.
Emma Reid halts Narang’s quarterfinal run
Facing England’s Emma Reid in the last eight, Narang found herself under pressure from the outset. Reid launched a series of aggressive attacks and almost opened the scoring early, but Narang defended well to keep the contest level. The Indian was handed a Shido as Reid continued to dictate the pace.The breakthrough came when the English judoka produced a perfectly timed Sumi-Gaeshi, earning a Waza-ari near the edge of the mat. Reid then transitioned into a hold-down and maintained control for 10 seconds, converting it into a second Waza-ari to complete an Ippon victory.Despite the defeat, Narang’s medal hopes remain alive as she progresses to the repechage, where she will get another opportunity to fight for a bronze medal.
Golden Score heartbreak for Avtar Singh
In the men’s -100kg category, Avtar Singh suffered a narrow defeat against Cyprus’ Aristos Michael in the Round of 16. The contest was evenly matched throughout regulation, with both judokas struggling to create scoring opportunities. Michael received an early Shido, while Avtar came close to breaking the deadlock late in the bout.The match extended into Golden Score, where Michael produced a stunning throw to win by Ippon, ending the Indian’s campaign.
Yash Ghanghas exits in heavyweight contest
India’s challenge in the men’s +100kg division also came to an end after Yash Ghanghas lost to Wales’ Joshua Whitehouse in the Round of 16. Whitehouse secured an early Yuko during regulation and successfully defended his advantage for the remainder of the contest, knocking the Indian out of the competition.
