CWG 2026: Protistha Samanta Secures Spot in Women’s Vault Final for India

On Saturday, the atmosphere at the Commonwealth Games arena was electric as India’s own Protistha Samanta stepped onto the vault runway. The 22‑year‑old from West Bengal delivered two solid vaults, amassing a combined score of 13.025. That performance was enough to land her in fifth place in the qualification round, which, as the rules state, guarantees a slot in the eight‑gymnast final.

It was a moment of quiet triumph for Samanta, who has been grinding through countless hours of training. “When I heard my name on the board, I just… I felt a wave of relief and excitement,” she later confessed, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Unfortunately for her teammate Pranati Nayak, the day didn’t end in a similar way. Nayak posted a score of 12.555, placing her 11th – just outside the qualifying eight but enough to be listed as the third reserve. Eshitaa Rewale and Nishka Agarwal rounded out the Indian roster in the qualifiers, finishing 15th (11.725) and 19th (11.075) respectively.

Beyond the vault, the Indian squad faced a mixed bag in the women’s team competition. After the first four rotations in Subdivision 3, the team sat comfortably in fifth place. However, as the later subdivisions concluded, the standings shifted, and India ultimately settled for ninth overall with a total of 123 points. Australia led the pack with 158.400 points, followed closely by Canada (157.300) and England (154.300) who took silver and bronze.

The competition format is worth a quick reminder: each nation can count the best three scores per apparatus toward the team total, and only a maximum of two athletes per country can advance to any individual final. That rule kept the field tight and the stakes high.

In the all‑around standings, Samanta and Rewale found themselves just outside the final cut, finishing 27th and 28th with scores of 42.250 and 41.700. They now sit as the third and fourth reserves, ready to step in should any finalist withdraw.

For Samanta, qualifying for the vault final is more than a personal milestone – it’s a beacon of hope for Indian gymnastics, which has been striving for greater visibility on the global stage. “We’re learning, growing, and today we proved that we belong,” she said, eyes bright with determination.

The next day promises the showdown: eight gymnasts, two per country, each attempting to out‑vault one another for a place on the podium. All eyes will be on Samanta as she seeks to turn that fifth‑place qualification into a medal‑winning performance.