Mirabai Chanu wins silver in women's 49kg at Asian Games in Nagoya

Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, posting a total of 198kg. "Winning an Asian Games medal is a dream come true. I have been chasing this medal for the last 12 years, since the 2014 Asian Games. My life is complete now with this medal. And I am feeling very light. It's a dream Asian Games," Chanu said after the competition.

The silver filled a gap in Chanu’s career: she has earlier won Olympic and World Championship medals and three successive Commonwealth Games golds, but an Asian Games medal had eluded her. Her history at the continental event included a ninth-place finish at Incheon in 2014, missing the Jakarta 2018 edition because of a back injury, and a fourth-place finish at Hangzhou in 2023 with 191kg after an injury during the clean and jerk disrupted her campaign.

Chanu’s result ended India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal and made her the first Indian weightlifter to reach the Asian Games podium since Karnam Malleswari won silver in Bangkok in 1998.

In the snatch Chanu completed all three attempts and finished on 87kg. Defending champion and world champion Ri Song Gum of North Korea opened up a lead with a 94kg snatch.

Chanu opened the clean and jerk with 107kg and succeeded with 111kg on her second attempt to reach a 198kg total. Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana failed to complete her 107kg clean and jerk attempt, which confirmed Chanu’s place on the podium while Ri remained well ahead in the battle for gold.

Ri lifted 116kg in the clean and jerk before successfully attempting 121kg, finishing on a 215kg total. Chanu’s 198kg was well short of Ri’s 215kg but sufficient to secure the silver and complete the missing piece in her medal collection.

Ri’s 215kg total earned her a third successive Asian Games gold, while Chanu’s silver ended India’s long wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal.