Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched India's first gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the women's 48kg category. She achieved a record total lift of 190kg, including new Commonwealth and Games records in snatch (85kg) and clean and jerk (105kg). This marks her third consecutive gold at the CWG, following her wins in 2018 and 2022, and she also secured a silver in 2014.
Indian weightlifters, including Olympic medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and silver medallist Lovepreet Singh, received a hero's welcome upon their return to New Delhi after a successful Commonwealth Games campaign, where they secured eight medals.
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu shared her emotional journey with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She revealed the struggles of the past four years, including injuries, family problems, and the heartbreak of narrowly missing a Paris Olympics medal, which led to her tears on the podium.
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu shared her emotional journey with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She revealed the struggles of the past four years, including injuries, family problems, and the heartbreak of narrowly missing a Paris Olympics medal, which led to her tears on the podium.
Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu secured her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, breaking records in the women's 48kg weightlifting. Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi also added silver medals, contributing to India's growing tally at the Games.
The 2026 Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships, featuring athletes from 30 countries, will be held in Gandhinagar from May 11 to 17. The event serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai turned 28 on Monday, August 8, and the champion celebrated her birthday by planting saplings.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, champion weightlifter, in a new role.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated the Indian weightlifting team for their strong performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where they secured one gold, six silver, and one bronze medal.
While weightlifter Mirabai Chanu bagged silver, badminton star PV Sindhu and boxing legend Lovlina won bronze in the Tokyo Olympics. The trio graced the cover of the latest edition of the leading fashion magazine.
The Olympic silver medallist's inspiring fitness tips.
Tokyo Olympics will be Chanu's second appearance on the big stage
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu was first of the seven medallists for India at the Tokyo Olympics, winning a silver medal in weightlifting (49kg category), on the first day of the Tokyo Games.
India's Saikhom Mirabai Chanu turned in a highly disappointing performance at the Rio Olympics, as she could not get an overall total in women's 48kg after failing to lift the weight in any of her three attempts in clean & jerk section. In a field of 12 lifters, she was one of two who did not finish (DNF) her event.
'We feel empowered to perform for India'
The state government would also reward her with Rs 1 crore, the chief minister said.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will have an outside chance of a podium finish for India when the weightlifter begins her campaign in the women's 48kg category at the Rio Olympic Games on Saturday.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, hailed Saikhom Mirabai Chanu's gold-medal winning effort at the Weightlifting World Championship in Anaheim, USA.
Online voting for the award will remain open until February 28 and the winner will be revealed on March 28 at a ceremony in the Capital.
Indian weightlifters Sivalingam Sathish Kumar and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu earned the right to compete at the Rio Olympics in men's and women's weight categories respectively after topping the selection trials. Selection trials were held in Patiala to choose one lifter each from men's and women's category across all weight divisions after India had earned two quota places for the Rio Games at Senior Asian Championships at Tashkent, Uzbekistan in April. Sathish earned the ticket for Rio after finishing on top among male lifters with a total of 336kg in 77kg weight division. He lifted 151kg in snatch and 185kg in clean & jerk.
The former world champion ended with a total lift of 201kg (88kg+113kg), which is far from her personal best.
Apart from Mirabai, the four other Indian lifters were placed in groups C and D, failing to finish even in the top 20 at the Worlds, earlier this month.
The 24-year-old Manipuri lifted 82kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium after recovering from the injury, which required extensive physiotherapy.
Mirabai Chanu's dream of clinching a second successive Olympic medal was dashed
The ongoing crisis in Manipur has affected several others in the country in one way or the other. Over the years Manipur has produced brilliant sports person in the country.
Mirabai Chanu's show was below her personal best.
With this, Chanu became only the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari bagged bronze in the 69kg category at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched three bronze medals for India on the opening day of the 19th Junior Women Asian Weightlifting Championships in Yangon, Myanmar.
The Chanu household at Nongpok Kakching village, around 25km from Manipur capital Imphal, had visitors since Friday despite the curfew caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Indian contingent which returned from the Paris Olympics with six medals.
India ran away with opening day honours in the weightlifting competition of the 20th Commonwealth Games with Sukhen Dey and K Sanjita Chanu winning the gold medal in their respective events in Glasgow.
The postponement of the Tokyo Games and a break in training due to the COVID-19 lockdown last year brought with it a shoulder issue for the weightlifter that could have led to a completely different result, something Chanu had been worried about.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday gave away prestigious Padma awards to 89 winners at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
Mirabai Chanu talks about training in lockdown and her plans to return to her old fitness regime.
Following is India's schedule at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday, September 30.
"I saw the earrings on TV, I gave them to her in 2016 before the (Rio) Olympics. I have made it for her from the gold pieces and savings I have so that it brings luck and success," Leima said from her home in Manipur where a considerable number of relatives, friends and well-wishers gathered to watch Chnau script history in Tokyo.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will start as overwhelming favourite to clinch the top prize in women's 48kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast next month.
Born to a poor family in Nongpok Kakching village about 20 kilometres from the capital Imphal, the youngest among six siblings, Mirabai would go to collect firewood from a nearby hill with her brother Saikhom Sanatomba Meitei, who is four years her elder.
Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is focussing on an Asian Games gold medal, the only accolade missing from her showcase.
As we celebrate International Women's day on March 8, meet the Indian sportswomen who have made the nation proud with their superlative performances in the sporting arena.
