Sachin Siwach wins Glasgow 60kg gold and turns focus to Asian Games
Sachin Siwach won the men's 60kg boxing gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, and has said he is ready to take on the Asian Games. The victory has bolstered his confidence after a prolonged period of setbacks and difficult results at top-level events.
Siwach endured five years of struggle before the Glasgow triumph, dealing with injuries, questionable verdicts and other hard luck moments that limited his impact at marquee events. He matched a fellow villager and namesake to become the second World Youth champion from Mitathal village in Haryana in 2021. While he failed to make deep runs at the Asian Games, World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, he did win medals at the Asian Championships and on World Boxing Cup stages.
On his way to Commonwealth gold, Siwach defeated opponents from Canada, England, Botswana, Wales and Namibia, beginning with a win over Canada’s CWG bronze medallist Keoma-Ali Al-Ahmedieh. He completed the tournament with a come-from-behind victory in the final against Namibian Tryagain Morning Ndevelo. Trailing the African champion and deducted a point going into the last round, he knocked down his opponent in the final seconds to secure a 3-2 split decision win.
Reflecting on his journey and the Glasgow title, Siwach said: “Sometimes it was my mistake, sometimes not. The setbacks made me stronger. The CWG title has motivated me. I reached the top of the ladder. It’ll be easier from here on.” He also described his draw and mindset during the tournament, saying: “Mine was the toughest draw. Since I had beaten the Canadian earlier, I was confident. In the final, it came down to the last round. I was determined to win gold.”
Siwach expressed a specific aim to improve on his previous Asian Games performance, calling his earlier exit a matter of luck and promising to address errors. “It was just luck. This Asiad will be different in terms of competition. I’m confident. I’ll work on my mistakes,” he said, underlining his intention to prepare differently for the upcoming Asiad.
He credited long-term guidance from teammate Amit Panghal during their time together and described what he learned in training. “He was my roommate and training partner (2023-2025). I learned a lot from him — how to rectify mistakes, about diet and rest. He told me about my weak points and strengths, how to block punches and how to move my legs. Amit bhai was World No.1 and has won big medals. I learned everything from him.” Indian men’s team head coach C.A. Kuttappa urged technical adjustments, saying: “He shouldn’t bend too much. He was penalised for this in the final. Also, he should learn to adapt and box from different ranges as per the situation.”
For now, Sachin is celebrating with his family before shifting his focus to Asiad preparation.