India's Unnati Sharma Clinches Commonwealth Games Judo Bronze, Leaves Family in Tears of Joy
The 63kg judoka called her father moments after securing bronze in Glasgow, saying, “Papa, I won the medal.”
Dehradun's Unnati Sharma brought pride to India and Uttarakhand by winning a bronze medal in the women's 63kg judo event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Soon after her medal-winning bout, Unnati made an emotional phone call to her father, Vinesh Kumar Sharma, delivering the news with the words, “Papa, I won the medal.” The brief but heartfelt conversation was enough to trigger celebrations at her family's home in Dehradun's Defence Colony, where relatives, friends, and well-wishers gathered to congratulate them.
According to her family, Unnati is the youngest of three siblings. Before travelling to Scotland, she trained under coach Jeevan at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Karnataka. Her judo journey began with a gold medal at the Sub-Junior National Championships in Manipur during the 2013–14 season.
Unnati has built an impressive international record over the years, having won one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals at the Asian Championships before adding the Commonwealth Games bronze to her achievements.
Her coach, Satish Sharma, credited her dedication, discipline, and perseverance for helping her reach the podium, describing the medal as a reward for years of hard work.
While celebrations continued at her residence, the family expressed disappointment that no representative from the state government or sports department visited to congratulate the medal-winning athlete.
Unnati is expected to return to Dehradun on August 4, where she is likely to receive a warm welcome from supporters and the sporting community.
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