CHENNAI: A gold medal for India was never in doubt in the 48kg of women's weightlifting at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. With the country's most successful lifter Mirabai Chanu competing in the division, top of the podium finish was assured. The only question was how far she will stretch herself, especially with the 2026 Asian Games on the horizon.
Expectedly, the 31-year-old lifter from Manipur demolished the field without even going anywhere near to her best show. But even the not-so-impressive outing by her standards was enough for Mirabai to complete a hat-trick of gold medals at the CWG. Despite failing in her first attempts both in the snatch, and clean and jerk sections respectively, she left her opponents far behind with the successive next attempts to claim the top finish.
Her nearest rival Ruth Asuquo Nyong from Nigeria managed an overall lift of 168kg — 22kg less than Mirabai. Malaysia's Irene Jane Henry secured third place with a total lift of 167kg. For the record, Mirabai's best snatch lift is 89kg. It's 119kg in the clean and jerk, which once was a world record. On Sunday, she won the gold lifting 85kg in snatch and 105kg in clean and jerk taking her overall lift to 190kg (85+105=190).
The first place finish also meant Mirabai became the only woman to win three straight CWG gold medals. And here is why the feat needs to be put into perspective as none of the top nations in women's weightlifting — China, North Korea and USA — compete in the event.
Besides, Mirabai's past performances at the CWG also shed light on the level of competition in the event. Incidentally, Mirabai's CWG journey started in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. She heaved 75kg and 95kg in the snatch and C&J sections respectively to win a silver medal in the 48kg. The next edition was held in Gold Coast in 2018 and the Indian lifter changed the colour of her medal by finishing on top of the podium with a total lift of 196kg (snatch 86kg and C&J 110kg) in the same weight category. She bettered her show in the next edition four years later at Birmingham, albeit in 49kg, by heaving 201kg (snatch 88kg and C&J 113).
It can be seen that her performances in the previous two editions were better than her latest performance. It can also be argued that the lifter is not getting any younger and revision in the weight category didn't help her cause either. But even that argument fails to hold the ground when it comes to the level of competition at the CWG.
India weightlifting head coach Vijay Sharma tried to address the issue after her ward's third straight gold. "She has mostly competed in 49kg in her career. Switching to 48kg was not easy. It makes her injury prone. Her show here is her best at the moment as we have been trying that only," Sharma told this daily.
Mirabai didn't attempt a second lift in the C&J section but she did that in the snatch even though her lift of 82kg was five kilograms more than the next best show. The coach said he made her lift 85kg in her third attempt. "She missed 82kg in the first attempt that's why I made her lift 85kg in the third and final attempt. Our target was to lift a total of 190kg and that was done once she lifted 105kg in C&J so no third attempt in that section."
Mirabai will compete in 49kg at the Asian Games and the coach said that will be an advantage for her ward. Once the continental Games are over, 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will be Mirabai's target but for that she has to switch to 53kg as the International Weightlifting Federation has revised the Olympic weight categories. "It will be even better for Mirabai as she can eat properly and focus solely on lifting. But we will think about it after the Asian Games," signed off the coach.
Chanu's past CWG shows
2022 49kg (Gold): S 88, C&J 113, T 201
2018 48kg (Gold): S 86, C&J 110, T 196
2014 48kg (Silver): S 75, C&J 95, T 170
Her personal best
Snatch: 89kg
C&J: 119kg
Gold winning effort at 2026 CWG
S: 85kg
C&J: 105kg
T: 190kg
