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Commonwealth Games 2026: Key Sports Dropped, Dealing Blow to India's Medal HopesIn a significant setback for India's aspirations at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, host city Glasgow has announced a revised roster of 10 disciplines, excluding key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, and shooting. This decision has raised concerns about the impact on India's medal tally, as these sports have historically contributed a substantial number of medals.The move is part of Glasgow's efforts to keep the event budget-friendly and streamline logistics. The Games will be held across four venues, with a total of nine fewer events compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition. The pruned roster includes Athletics and Para Athletics, Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.The exclusion of hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, and shooting is a major blow to India's medal prospects. Hockey has been a consistent medal-winner for India, with the men's team claiming three silver and two bronze medals, while the women's team has also shone, clinching three medals, including a historic gold in 2002. Badminton has been another strong suit for India, with an impressive 31 medals to its name, including 10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze.Wrestling has also been a fruitful sport for India, yielding 114 medals, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronzes. Cricket's reintroduction in 2022 saw the Indian women's team claim a silver medal. Shooting was a stronghold for India, with a staggering 135 medals, including 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze.The absence of these sports will significantly reduce India's chances of achieving a high medal count. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has acknowledged the setback, stating that the roster is a "massive setback to India's medal prospects."Despite the disappointment, the CGF has emphasized that the Games will deliver over 100 million pounds of "inward investment into the city" and is expected to support add an economic value of over 150 million pounds for the region. The body asserted that all this would be possible thanks to a model "that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games."

National long jump record holder Jeswin Aldrin's disappointing performance at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow on Saturday has raised questions about his current form. The 22-year-old, who held the world lead for a few months in 2023 with his 8.42m jump, could only manage a 7.69m effort, finishing a lowly 13th.Aldrin's performance was particularly disappointing considering his recent international outings. In three other events last month, he had recorded jumps of 7.70m, 7.74m, and 7.83m. He had also finished eighth in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.The Indian long jumper's struggles in Glasgow were evident from the start. He cleared 7.69m in his first attempt but fouled the next two. With only three attempts allowed in the qualifying round, Aldrin was unable to improve his mark and was eliminated along with eight other competitors.The top eight long jumpers after three rounds were permitted to have another three attempts. Reigning Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold with a best jump of 8.22m, while 19-year-old Mattia Furlani (8.22m) of Italy and Carey McLeod (8.21m) of Jamaica were second and third respectively.Aldrin's performance in Glasgow is a setback for the Indian athlete, who has been touted as a potential medal contender at the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. However, it is important to note that Aldrin is still young and has time to improve. With the right training and support, he can still achieve his full potential.