India’s Mirabai Chanu competes in the women’s 49kg weightlifting final at the Asian Games 2026 (Img: IANS)
Aichi-Nagoya: Mirabai Chanu has added another memorable achievement to her remarkable career by winning a silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event at the Asian Games in Nagoya.
The medal was special for both Mirabai and Indian weightlifting as it ended a long wait for the country in the sport at the Asian Games. Despite achieving success at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, an Asian Games medal had remained missing from Mirabai’s impressive record.
Competing against top athletes from across Asia, Mirabai delivered a composed performance in the 49kg final.
India’s Mirabai Chanu bags silver, finishing second in the women’s 49kg weightlifting final at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Snatch: 87kg, Clean & Jerk: 111kg, Total: 198kg. North Korea’s Ri Song Gyong leads with 215kg, while Indonesia’s Wijayana LDT takes bronze with 191kg… pic.twitter.com/ZDvouGxR0O
— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) September 23, 2026
She lifted 87kg in the snatch round and followed it with 111kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with an overall total of 198kg.
North Korea’s Ri Song Gyong secured the gold medal after recording a total lift of 215kg, while Indonesia’s Wijayana LDT claimed the bronze medal with 191kg.
The Asian Games podium finish was one of the biggest targets left in Mirabai’s career. She had previously won an Olympic silver medal, World Championship medals and Commonwealth Games gold, but the Asian Games medal had remained out of reach.
Her earlier Asian Games campaigns brought disappointment, including a ninth-place finish in 2014 and missing the 2018 edition due to injury. In the 2023 Asian Games, she narrowly missed a podium finish after ending the competition in fourth place.
Mirabai Chanu’s silver medal has brought renewed attention to Indian weightlifting on the Asian stage. Her achievement also adds another milestone to a career built on consistency, determination and performances at the highest level.
The Nagoya Asian Games medal will be remembered as one of the defining moments of Mirabai’s sporting journey.
