Ritam Malik, a 19-year-old gymnast from Blacktown in north-west Sydney, has earned a spot on Australia’s Men’s Artistic Gymnastics squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow which begin tomorrow (23 July 2026). His selection makes him the first athlete of Indian heritage to represent Australia in artistic gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games.
Malik’s 2026 season proved decisive. He won the All Around title at the Commonwealth Games Selection Trial and finished third at the Continental Championships, securing his place on a team with genuine medal ambitions. Australia’s men have not topped the team podium since Delhi 2010, and this squad is considered a strong contender to end that drought.
Despite his age, Malik brings considerable international experience. He competed at the 2023 Junior World Championships in Antalya and the 2025 Junior World Championships in Manila, testing himself against elite junior talent from across the globe before making the transition to senior competition.
Malik began training at Sydney Hills Gymnastics as a child and continues to work with his original coach whenever he returns to Australia. Recognition came early—he was named NSW Junior Gymnast of the Year in 2023 and Australian Junior National Gymnast of the Year in 2024. Those accolades helped him secure a place on the Penn State Nittany Lions men’s gymnastics roster, where he is a freshman studying finance.
Training demands have been significant throughout his career. Since age ten, Malik has averaged between 20 and 22 hours of weekly training. In the months leading up to Glasgow, that workload has increased to 24–26 hours spread over six days.
Gymnastics runs in the Malik family. His father, Rajesh, was a national gymnastics champion in India and introduced Ritam to the sport when he was young. His mother, Nirja, has overseen nutrition, health, and the day-to-day logistics that come with supporting an elite athlete. He also has a younger brother, Varchas.
Glasgow marks just the beginning. Malik has spoken about his ambition to compete at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, where he would have the opportunity to represent Australia on home soil at the sport’s highest level. With a foundation built on junior international competition, American collegiate training, and a family steeped in the sport, Malik heads to Glasgow as a trailblazer for Australians of Indian heritage with strong prospects for future international success.
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