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

Mirabai Chanu won India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal in 28 years, taking silver in the women's 49kg category at the 2026 Asian Games with a total lift of 198kg (87kg snatch, 111kg clean and jerk).

North Korea's Ri Song-gum, the two-time defending champion, won gold with a world-record total of 215kg (94kg snatch, 121kg clean and jerk) - her third consecutive Asian Games title. Indonesia's Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze with 191kg.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist completed all three snatch attempts successfully (83kg, 85kg, 87kg) before securing the medal with a 111kg clean and jerk. She had finished fourth at Hangzhou 2023 after an injury on her final clean and jerk attempt. The last Indian weightlifter to reach an Asian Games podium was Karnam Malleswari, who won silver at Bangkok 1998. The medal completes Chanu's collection across the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and now the Asian Games.