Mirabai Chanu Ends India's 28-Year Wait for Asian Games Weightlifting Medal

Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting event at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, ending India's 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Games and completing her collection of major international titles.

The 32-year-old lifted a total of 198kg, comprising 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk, to finish behind North Korea's Ri Song-gum, who claimed her third consecutive Asian Games gold with a total of 215kg. Indonesia's Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze with 191kg.

It is Chanu's first-ever Asian Games medal after three previous attempts ended in disappointment. She finished ninth at Incheon 2014. She missed Jakarta 2018 through injury. She placed fourth at Hangzhou 2023.

India's last weightlifting medal at the Asian Games came from Karnam Malleswari's silver in Bangkok in 1998. The result completes a full set of major honours for Chanu, who already holds an Olympic silver, a World Championship gold and three Commonwealth Games titles.