Glasgow, Sunday
In a breathtaking display of raw Kenyan grit, 20-year-old sensation Joshua Amunga Mboya shattered a 32-year jinx today. He captured Kenya’s very first medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, securing a historic bronze in the Men's 60kg conventional weightlifting competition at a roaring SEC Armadillo.
While Kenya has tasted success in Para-Powerlifting, conventional Olympic weightlifting (Snatch and Clean & Jerk) has remained an elusive dream since Collins Okoth won three bronze medals under an older format in 1994.
Today, Mboya altered the course of Kenya's sporting history.
He fought fiercely in the Snatch, clearing 115kg to stay on the heels of Malaysia’s Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq and India’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, who both set a new Games record at 121kg.
In the Clean and Jerk, the young Kenyan dug deep to hoist 145kg, sealing an aggregate score of 244kg to firmly secure his place on the global podium.
"First of all, I am happy. It's the biggest medal I’ve ever won," an ecstatic Mboya said, beaming with national pride.
"Pressure was high because it wasn't the usual list of competitors. It was tough, but I stayed focused and motivated myself. I have never been this happy before!"
Joshua Amunga Mboya successfully lifts 145 kilogrammes in the Clean and Jerk section of the weightlifting competition to secure bronze in Glasgow on Sunday. (Photo / NOC-K)
Iron Will: Overcoming the Odds
Mboya’s manager, Pius Ochieng, lauded the youngster, tipping him for future global dominance. The achievement is even more staggering considering Mboya spent three agonizing months on the sidelines after a severe back injury in April.
"My biggest challenge was staying consistent through my hardest times," Mboya revealed.
"I just recovered recently and started building up slowly, focusing entirely on this moment. Our strategies worked perfectly."
From a childhood playing football on the streets of Thika to dominating the African Youth championships and securing a NOCK Olympic Solidarity Scholarship, Mboya has remained anchored by his grassroots training camp.
Alongside his brother Kavesa, he trains at the legendary, bare-bones Pumwani Sports Grounds gym in Majengo. It is a community hub known for high-performance discipline over commercial luxury.
How the Rest of Team Kenya Fared on Sunday
While Mboya provided the golden highlight, a massive contingent of Kenyan athletes fought valiantly across Glasgow's arenas:
Weightlifting
Janet Atieno Oduor finished eighth overall in the Women’s 48kg category with a total lift of 133kg (58kg Snatch / 75kg Clean & Jerk). India’s Mirabai Chanu Saikhom won gold with a spectacular Games record total of 190kg.
Swimming
Imara-Bella Thorpe sparked Kenyan celebrations in the pool, clocking 1:02.35 to finish fifth in Heat 2 of the 100m Butterfly, booking her ticket into the evening's semi-finals. Sara Mose (58.11s in 100m Freestyle) and Haniel Kudwoli (28.86s in 50m Freestyle) missed out on advancing.
Kenya's Yvone Okello, Esther Minayo and Mary Omondi strategize against Jamaica in a 3x3 basketball match the Jamaicans won 21-16. Kenyan bounced back to hammer Cayman Islands 22-8 in their final group game.
3x3 Basketball
In the Men’s Wheelchair division, the team of Itaken Kipelian, Milton Ilahuya, Robert Ngugi, and Ian Chege fought hard but bowed 5-21 to a ruthless Australian team.
The women’s tournament saw Barbra Achieng, Yvone Okello, Esther Minayo and Mary Omondi fall 16-21 to Jamaica in a tense tactical encounter. The Kenyan girls then recovered in their final match to hammer basement side Cayman Islands in their final group game 22-8 with Minayo and Omondi scoring a game-high seven points each - each with three two-pointers - as Okello and Achieng weighed in with four points each.
Bowls:
In the Women’s Pairs, Nancy Cheruiyot and Wambui Mbugua suffered a tough 2-0 (13-0, 7-0) sectional defeat to Wales. Meanwhile, Anwar Hamada lost 0-2 to Malaysia's Izzat Shameer Dzulkepe in the Men's Singles Round 4 in sets of 5-7 and 4-11.
