Modinagar, February 4: At the 2026 National Weightlifting Championship, Olympic Silver Medalist Mirabai Chanu made headlines by setting three national records in the women’s 48-kilogram weight category on Wednesday.
Challenging herself in the new weight category, Mirabai lifted a total of 205 kilograms, establishing new national records in the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total. The 31-year-old weightlifter secured the gold medal by lifting 89 kilograms in the snatch and 116 kilograms in the clean and jerk.
Her total lift of 205 kilograms surpassed her previous best of 199 kilograms, which she achieved at the 2022 World Championship in Forde, where she won a silver medal. Previously, Mirabai held the national clean and jerk record of 115 kilograms and a total of 199 kilograms in the 48-kilogram category during that competition.
At the December 2023 World Championship, she attempted to break her own national snatch record of 91 kilograms but was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, her best lift in that competition was 22 kilograms more than silver medalist Rhonda Soni, with Komal Kohar taking home the bronze medal.
After winning the Olympic silver medal in the 49-kilogram category at the Tokyo 2020 Games and finishing fourth in the same category for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Mirabai transitioned to the 48-kilogram category in 2022 when the IWF removed the 49-kilogram category from Olympic qualification.
This change has already proven beneficial. Following the transition, Mirabai secured first place at the 2023 Commonwealth Championship and second place at the 2022 World Championship, solidifying her status as one of India’s top female weightlifters.
Looking ahead, the Tokyo Olympic medalist is expected to gradually move to the 53-kilogram category after the Asian Games. The 53-kilogram division will be the lightest weight class for women at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
