Mirabai Chanu lived up to expectations, winning India’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games with a total lift of 190kg. The 31-year-old was the hot favourite in the women’s 48 category, and she displayed why she is one of the best weightlifters in the business. Chanu’s victory came on the same day that Rishikanta Singh won a silver medal for the country. Chanu’s win has now brought India three medals at the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games.
Event Context
Chanu was required to lift 105kg just once in the clean and jerk section to seal the gold medal. However, she had to wait for the top prize. Chanu failed to lift it on her first attempt but got the job done on her second. She then decided not to go for the third and final lift, as she was more than satisfied with the gold.
Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong won the silver while Malaysia’s Irene Jane Henry won bronze.
Apart from the four Commonwealth Games medals, she also has a silver medal to her name in the Olympics. She has won one gold and two silver medals at the World Championships as well.
Team Analysis
Over the years, Chanu has established herself as one of India’s greatest weightlifters. Her journey at the Commonwealth Games began with a silver medal in the women’s 48 kg event at the 2014 Glasgow Games, confirming her arrival on the international stage.
Four years later, at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she produced a sensational display to win the gold medal while setting new Games and Commonwealth records with a total lift of 196 kg. She then continued her dominance at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, successfully defending her title in the women’s 49 kg category.
She lifted a combined total of 201 kg, breaking her own Games record and securing India’s first gold medal of the competition.
Now across four consecutive Commonwealth Games, Mirabai Chanu has won one silver and three gold medals, making her one of India’s most successful athletes in the history of the event.
Match Outlook
Weightlifting was expected to be India’s strong suit in the competition, and the athletes have brought two medals in the discipline so far. India will have one more chance later in the day to add one more medal in the sport when M Raja participates in the men’s 65kg category.
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This is the third Commonwealth Games in a row that Chanu has returned with a gold medal, having previously won the top prize at the Glasgow and Birmingham Games as well. She now has a total of four CWG medals to her name.
Speaking of the women’s 48kg event, Chanu tried to lift 82kg up front in the snatch category; however, she failed to do so. However, the second time was the charm for her. In the third attempt, she nailed the 85kg lift, setting a Commonwealth Games record.
