Mirabai Chanu Clinches Historic Silver at Asian Games 2026, Cementing Status as India’s Greatest Lifter

Mirabai Chanu has completed her monumental set of international honors, capturing a historic silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. With this achievement, she officially secures the one accolade that had eluded her throughout an illustrious career, standing tall alongside her Olympic silver, three World Championship podiums, three Commonwealth Games medals, and an Asian Championship medal.

Her triumph also snaps a 28-year medal drought for Indian weightlifting at the Asian Games, marking the country’s first podium finish since Karnam Malleswari claimed silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games.

A Calculated, Composed Performance

Facing a fiercely competitive field, Mirabai and chief coach Vijay Sharma opted for tactical precision over risky attempts.

• The Snatch: North Korea’s Ri Song Gum asserted dominance early by opening with 94kg. Mirabai executed a steady progression, opening successfully at 83kg, moving to 85kg, and topping out at 87kg to finish third in the phase—just 1kg behind Indonesia’s Luluk Wijayana.
• The Clean and Jerk: Mirabai surged ahead immediately with a solid 107kg opener. When Wijayana failed her attempt at the same weight, the silver was effectively secured. Mirabai then lifted 111kg on her second attempt to register an aggregate total of 198kg.
• The Winner: Ri Song Gum claimed the gold medal with a dominant showing, posting a clean and jerk of 121kg to register a world-record total of 215kg. Having secured second place, Mirabai smartly chose not to exhaust her body with a third attempt.

Overcoming the Asiad Jinx

The Asian Games had long presented emotional and physical hurdles for the Indian lifter. After placing ninth in 2014, a back injury sidelined her from Jakarta 2018. At Hangzhou, lingering physical issues relegated her to fourth place.

Determined to complete her medal set, Mirabai stayed away from home after claiming her third straight Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, dedicating every training session specifically to this competition. Her laser focus paid off on Wednesday.

With every major international medal secured across global platforms, Mirabai Chanu may transition to the 53kg category ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, carrying an unmatched legacy as India’s undisputed greatest weightlifter.