Mirabai Chanu to weigh World Championships and 53kg option after Asian Games silver
Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, lifting a combined total of 198kg — 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk.
The 32-year-old from Manipur added the Asian Games silver to a career that already includes an Olympic silver from Tokyo 2020, a World Championship gold in 2017 plus two World silvers, and three Commonwealth Games golds. The women’s 49kg class will not be contested at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the 53kg category taking its place, a change the article describes as a significant new challenge for her.
North Korea’s Ri Song-gum won gold in the event and an Indonesian lifter took bronze, with Chanu finishing behind Ri on the podium.
After the event Chanu said, "Finally, I have got the medal that I wanted, which I have been chasing for 12 years. I am feeling very light now because the pressure is completely gone from me. This is my dream Asian Games medal. I feel my life is complete now." She also addressed expectations and self-belief, saying, "Everyone expects a medal from me. So, I also think, 'If I make a mistake, what will I do?' So, I feel pressure. On the other hand, I am proud of my strength. I have confidence and belief in myself."
Asked why she attempted a heavier lift after silver was effectively secured, Chanu said, "I wanted to lift more than 110kg in clean and jerk. I didn’t know how much the Indonesian bronze medallist would lift." She added, "I knew the gold was not there for me. But I just wanted to give my best performance. I didn’t want to win a medal by lifting less."
On the question of moving up to 53kg and Olympic qualification she said, "We have not decided yet, but we will try. Qualifying starts in December, but we have not yet decided whether we will start or not in December. But for now, I will enjoy."
Chanu described the practical demands of changing weight classes, saying, "I have been playing in 49kg. During training, I usually maintain an additional 1.5kg, keeping my weight around 50.5kg. Maintaining that is difficult for us. I have to do weight training. I have to take a lot of load." She warned about sudden weight gain and the need for gradual adjustment: "If we gain weight suddenly, our performance can also go down. Strength will also not be that much. We are thinking of increasing the weight along with strength." She added, "To maintain strength in my muscles, we will manage my weight gradually. I will keep track of what I eat and make the necessary changes to my diet. If I move up to 53kg too quickly, my strength could drop. So, I have to control my weight along with my strength."
The 2026 World Weightlifting Championships are scheduled from October 27 to November 8 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center in Ningbo, China, and Chanu could compete there within weeks of her Asian Games performance. With Ningbo approaching and the 53kg transition pending, the next few months will likely shape whether she can add an Olympic medal in a brand-new weight category to her collection.