In Glasgow
A journey that began in primary school is finally paying off handsomely for young weightlifter Joshua Amunga, who on Sunday won Kenya’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The 20-year-old clinched bronze in the men’s 60kg category at the Scottish Event Campus, ending a 32-year wait for Kenya to win a medal in the competition the Commonwealth Games.
Amunga’s medal is only the second Kenya has won in the discipline at the Commonwealth Games, following Collins Okoth’s bronze in the middleweight 91kg category at the 1994 Games in Victoria, Canada.
Yet despite the significance of his achievement, Amunga remained composed and measured after delivering the best ever performance of his young career.
“I have never been this happy. I was under pressure because when the start lists came out, it wasn’t the usual list of competitors we normally face. It was tough, but I stayed focused and motivated myself as I prepared for this competition,” Amunga said after his historic performance.
Amunga posted a combined total of 260kg, lifting 115kg in the snatch and 145kg in the clean and jerk. His total was enough to comfortably see off Sri Lanka’s Supun Dilhara Somathilka Wiriduwagle, who finished fourth on 244kg.
Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq Kasdan won gold with a Commonwealth Games record of 273kg, while India’s Rishikanta Singh took silver.
For Amunga, however, the medal represents far more than a place on the Commonwealth Games podium. It is the culmination of a journey that started when he was introduced to weightlifting at primary school.
Weightlifter Joshua Amunga competes in men's 60kg category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on July 26, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
His coach, James Omondi, an Olympian who represented Kenya at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, has been central to that journey.
Amunga’s early ambition was simple, to follow in the footsteps of his mentor and coach. After years of training, sacrifice and steady progress, the dream of reaching the Olympic stage now appears within reach, with the 2028 Los Angeles Games firmly on his radar.
“My coach always tells me not to be under pressure. Everything takes time; everything has its own time. Even when I’m under pressure, I try to calm down like my coach says and trust the process. Everything pays off,” said Amunga.
His road to Glasgow was not without obstacles. The young lifter suffered an injury but recovered just two months before the competition, giving him little room for error in his preparations.
Looking back, Amunga admits that competing on the international stage, let alone winning a Commonwealth Games medal, was once beyond the wildest of his imaginations.
“Growing up, I never thought I would compete on the international stage. I never thought I would ever win such a medal. It just wasn’t in my mind at all. But after commencing weightlifting and making progress, I started seeing the future,” he said.
From the classrooms of Kamenu Secondary School in Thika to the Commonwealth podium in Glasgow, Amunga’s rise is a testament to the power of patience, mentorship and belief.
And his bronze could prove to be a timely sign of things to come for Team Kenya. Amunga could well be Kenya’s John the Baptist — the one who announces the arrival of a bigger medal haul — with the country’s athletics campaign set to begin at Scotstoun Stadium today.
Among those expected to carry Kenya’s medal hopes are world champions Lilian Odira (800m) and Faith Cherotich (3000m steeplechase), Commonwealth Games 100m defending champions Ferdinand Omanyala, and Wyclife Kinyamal.
In the evening, the women’s 800m heats will be followed by two final races. The men’s 3000m steeplechase final scheduled for 10:05pm will involve world bronze medallist Edmund Serem, Simon Koech and Leonard Bett from Kenya.
The women’s 10,000m final will be part of the evening programme and will act as a curtain raiser to the 3000m steeplechase final.
