India's Mirabai Chanu Leads Team at 2026 World Weightlifting Championships

2026 World Weightlifting Championships

New Delhi, October 27: Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu will lead India's efforts at the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships, which is set to occur at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre in China from October 27 to November 8. Fans in India can catch the live streaming of the championships.

Path to LA 2028 Olympics

This event in Ningbo is the first of ten qualifying competitions leading up to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, according to Olympics.com. To qualify for the Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR), weightlifters must achieve three total results (snatch plus clean and jerk) in the first qualification period and two in the second, all within the same weight category. The OQR will take into account each athlete's top three results from the first period and two from the second. Each kilogram lifted will contribute one ranking point. Ultimately, the top eight eligible weightlifters in each Olympic weight category will earn quota spots for the LA 2028 Olympics, assigned by name. Over 500 athletes are anticipated to participate in the World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo.

Mirabai Chanu's Category Change

At 32 years old, Mirabai Chanu will compete in the women's 53kg category, one of the six women's weight classes featured in the weightlifting program for the LA 2028 Olympics. She has transitioned to the 53kg category for this Olympic cycle, as the 49kg division, where she secured a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and competed in Paris 2024, has been removed from the Olympic weightlifting program.

Details of the Indian Squad

The Indian squad for the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships includes: Women: Mirabai Chanu (53kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg), Usha (61kg), Nirupama Devi Seram (61kg); Men: Lovepreet Singh (+110kg).