Mirabai Chanu Clinches Gold at Commonwealth Games 2026

Mirabai Chanu's Triumph in Weightlifting

At the Commonwealth Games 2026, Mirabai Chanu secured India's first gold medal in the 48 KG weight category, confirming her status as a top contender. This victory marks her third consecutive gold at the Commonwealth Games, following her wins in Birmingham and Gold Coast in 2022 and 2018, respectively. Chanu initiated her competition with a bold opening snatch attempt of 82kg, showcasing her dominance over her competitors. Although she stumbled on her first attempt, she quickly regained her composure, setting a new CWG record with an 82kg lift and later achieving 85kg on her third try.

In the clean and jerk segment, she aimed for 105kg but was unsuccessful on her first attempt. However, she bounced back to lift 105kg on her second try, establishing a new Commonwealth Games record in this category. Her total lift of 190kg not only secured her the gold but also set a new overall CWG record, surpassing Nigeria's Ruth Asuquo Nyong (168kg) and Malaysia's Irene Jane Henry (167kg), who took home silver and bronze medals, respectively.

This achievement marks India's fourth medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Earlier, Lovlina Borgohain secured the first medal for India after receiving a bye in the quarterfinals, followed by Jhandu Kumar's bronze in para powerlifting, and Rishikanta Singh's silver in the men's 60 KG final.

Mirabai Chanu - The Golden Queen of India

Chanu's latest gold medal adds to her impressive accolades. She made history by winning a silver medal in the women's 49kg category at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming only the second Indian weightlifter to earn an Olympic medal. Additionally, she is a world champion, having clinched gold at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships and silver medals at the 2022 and 2025 World Championships. Besides her three golds at the CWG, she also won a silver at the 2014 Glasgow Games and a bronze at the 2021 Asian Weightlifting Championships, where she set a world record of 119kg in the clean and jerk. For her remarkable achievements, she has been honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and the Padma Shri.