Mirabai Chanu Wins Maiden Medal at Asian Games 2026, Bags Silver in 49kg
India’s premier weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu added the final missing piece to her distinguished trophy cabinet on Wednesday, capturing a silver medal in the women’s 49kg event at the 2026 Asian Games. Competing at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Centre, the 32-year-old put behind years of near-misses and injury heartbreak to secure her very first Asiad medal with a total lift of 198kg.
The veteran ace executed a composed campaign on the big stage. She successfully cleared all three of her attempts in the snatch discipline, maxing out at 87kg. Moving into the clean and jerk section, Chanu opened smoothly with 107kg before pushing her total further with a clean 111kg lift on her second attempt. Her combined tally ensured a comfortable second-place finish.
North Korea’s formidable lifter Ri Song Gum dominated the competition to take home the gold medal with a world-class overall effort of 215kg (94kg snatch + 121kg clean and jerk). Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana locked up the bronze medal with a combined effort of 191kg.
By finally climbing the Asian Games podium, Chanu became only the second Indian weightlifter in history after legendary trailblazer Karnam Malleswari to have secured medals across every major international showpiece: the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships.
Her career milestones have routinely rewritten Indian sporting history:
The veteran ace executed a composed campaign on the big stage. She successfully cleared all three of her attempts in the snatch discipline, maxing out at 87kg. Moving into the clean and jerk section, Chanu opened smoothly with 107kg before pushing her total further with a clean 111kg lift on her second attempt. Her combined tally ensured a comfortable second-place finish.
North Korea’s formidable lifter Ri Song Gum dominated the competition to take home the gold medal with a world-class overall effort of 215kg (94kg snatch + 121kg clean and jerk). Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana locked up the bronze medal with a combined effort of 191kg.
Breaking the Asiad Jinx
The silver medal brings long-awaited redemption for Chanu at the quadrennial Continental Games. Having made her Asian Games debut as a teenager at Incheon in 2014—where she finished ninth she missed the 2018 Gold Coast edition due to a back ailment. At the postponed Hangzhou Games in 2023, misfortune struck again when a hip position injury during her final lift dropped her into a heartbreaking fourth-place finish.By finally climbing the Asian Games podium, Chanu became only the second Indian weightlifter in history after legendary trailblazer Karnam Malleswari to have secured medals across every major international showpiece: the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships.
A Legacy Built on Grit
Hailing from Nongpok Kakching village in Manipur, Chanu’s rise to international stardom remains one of Indian sport’s most inspiring journeys. Recognised for her immense raw physical strength as a child when carrying heavy loads of firewood home, she eventually transitioned from archery to weightlifting.Her career milestones have routinely rewritten Indian sporting history:
- Olympic Glory: Secured a historic silver medal in the 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Games, becoming only the second Indian weightlifter after Malleswari to earn an Olympic medal.
- World Champion: Gold medallist at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim, complemented by silver medals in 2022 and 2025.
- Commonwealth Dominance: A three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist (2018 Gold Coast, 2022 Birmingham, and 2026 Glasgow) alongside a silver from Glasgow 2014.
- World Record Holder: Created a then-world record in the clean and jerk discipline by lifting 119kg at the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent.
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