Commonwealth Games 2018: Wrestlers join India's medal-winning campaign on Day 8

The wrestling gold rush began as expected and the shooting ranges also threw up medals before a couple of track-and-field podium finishes provided a near perfect end to what was a high-yielding day for India at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Sushil Kumar pulled off an effortless performance for gold, a tad irritated Seema Punia opened India's track-and-field account with a silver, while former world champion Tejaswini Sawant's rifle shot down a silver too.

In all, India claimed two gold, three silver and a bronze today, shoring up the overall medal count to 31. However, the country continued to be third on the table behind Australia and England respectively. India have 14 gold, seven silver and 10 bronze medals thus far. The day started with a silver at the Belmont Shooting Centre in Brisbane where Tejaswini Sawant added a second silver to her CWG collection of medals in the women's 50m rifle prone event.

And then began the medal rush at the Carrara Sports and Leisure centre where the wrestlers snared four today two gold, a silver and a bronze. Defending champion Sushil (74kg) barely spent any time on the mat, his final against South African Johannes Botha lasted just a minute and 20 seconds as he picked up easy victories to claim his third successive gold at the Games, a love affair that began in 2010 Delhi edition. Joining him in the gold-grabbers list was Rahul Aware (57klg), the man who finally found his moment of glory after 10 years of struggle.

However, another defending champion Babita Phogat (53kg) settled for a silver, while debutant Kiran happily flaunted a hard-earned bronze. Kiran defeated Mauritian Katouskia Pariadhaven by fall in the repechage of the 76kg category for her first major medal at the international level. "I think my weakness today was my attack, I should have been more aggressive but I gave my 100 per cent. I am satisfied with the intensity I put in but obviously I could not get the result I wanted," she said.

In the evening, Seema Punia and Navjeet Kaur Dhillon notched up silver and bronze medals respectively in the women's discus throw event to end the day on a high for India.