Mirabai Chanu Secures Historic Silver at Asian Games 2026
Mirabai Chanu's Triumph
For many years, Mirabai Chanu has been a beacon of hope for Indian weightlifting, achieving remarkable feats beyond just lifting weights. On Wednesday, the Olympic medalist added a silver medal from the Asian Games to her impressive collection, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Asian Games Silver Achievement
The 32-year-old athlete clinched silver in the women's 49kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, lifting a total of 198kg, which is her first medal at this continental event.
Chanu successfully completed all her snatch attempts, lifting 83kg, 85kg, and 87kg. She began the clean and jerk with 107kg and then lifted 111kg in her second attempt, finishing with a total of 198kg. North Korea's Ri Song Gum took home the gold with a total of 215kg, while Wijayana secured the bronze.
A Milestone in Chanu's Career
This medal represents a pivotal moment in Chanu's journey. After earning an Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020, three golds and one silver at the Commonwealth Games, and various medals at World, Commonwealth, and Asian Championships, the Asian Games podium had previously eluded her. In 2023, she had to withdraw from her final clean and jerk attempt due to injury, finishing fourth. Three years later, she returned to the continental stage and finally secured the medal that had been missing from her accolades.
With this achievement, Chanu joins Karnam Malleshwari as the second Indian weightlifter to win medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Asian Championships, and Commonwealth Championships.
Chanu's Humble Beginnings
Born on August 8, 1994, in Nongpok Kakching, Manipur, Chanu's ascent to the top began in a modest environment. As the youngest of six siblings, she grew up in a family where her father, Saikhom Kriti Meitei, worked in the Public Works Department, and her mother, Saikhom Tombi, ran a small shop to help support the family, as noted in a release from SAI.
Before becoming a prominent figure in Indian sports, Chanu honed her strength through daily chores in her village, such as gathering firewood and transporting water uphill. Initially, she dreamed of becoming an archer, but her innate strength was recognized at the Khuman Lampak Sports Academy, which redirected her path toward weightlifting.
She began her formal training in 2008, often traveling from her village to Imphal, relying on the kindness of truck drivers for rides due to her family's financial constraints. These early challenges have become an integral part of her inspiring story. Chanu later invited some of those truck drivers who assisted her to celebrate her Olympic success.
A Career Filled with Honors
Chanu's rise was bolstered by the sports system in Manipur before she transitioned to national-level training in Bengaluru and subsequently at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala, where she has been training since 2012. Coach Vijay Sharma has been a significant mentor throughout her senior career, acting as both a guide and a father figure.
Her international breakthrough occurred at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships, where she won gold. She followed this with gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast (2018), Birmingham (2022), and Glasgow (2026), along with silver medals at the World Championships in 2022 and 2025, and gold at the Asian Championships in 2021. Her Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020 solidified her status as one of India's top athletes. Although she finished fourth at Paris 2024, she continued to compete at the highest level, returning to the podium at the 2025 World Championships before finally completing her Asian Games medal collection.
Inspiration Beyond the Mat
Outside of competition, Chanu serves as Additional Superintendent of Police (Sports) in the Manipur Police and is pursuing a sports psychology program through Amity University Online. Together with Coach Sharma, she has also established the Weightlifting Warriors Academy in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, aimed at encouraging young girls to engage in the sport. Reports indicate that around 40 girls were training at the academy in 2026.
Chanu has often mentioned fellow Manipuri weightlifter Kunjarani Devi as her idol. Today, her journey—from a village in Manipur to the Olympic and Asian Games podiums—serves as an inspiration for a new generation of Indian weightlifters. Her recent silver in Aichi-Nagoya adds another significant chapter to her story, bringing India a long-awaited weightlifting medal at the Asian Games and fulfilling a major accolade that had previously eluded her.