Nagoya, September 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu finally ended her long wait for an Asian Games medal, winning a historic silver in the women’s 49kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old produced a total lift of 198kg, combining an 87kg snatch with a 111kg clean and jerk, at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Centre.
North Korea’s two-time Asian Games and world champion Ri Song-gum claimed gold with a total of 210kg, comprising a 94kg snatch and 121kg clean and jerk. Indonesia’s Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri won bronze with 191kg (87kg snatch, 103kg clean and jerk).
The silver made Chanu the first Indian weightlifter to win an Asian Games medal since Karnam Malleshwari took silver in Bangkok in 1998, ending a 28-year wait for India.
The medal also completed Chanu’s collection from the three major multi-sport events — the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. She is also only the second Indian weightlifter after Malleshwari to win medals across the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Asian Championships and Commonwealth Championships.
Chanu already had an Olympic silver, a world title and three Commonwealth Games gold medals, but an Asian Games medal had remained elusive.
She finished ninth at her Asian Games debut in 2014 and missed the 2018 Jakarta edition because of injury. At the 2023 Hangzhou Games, she finished fourth after a thigh injury affected her clean and jerk attempts.
Her Asian Games breakthrough came three years later in Japan, the country where she won Olympic silver at the Tokyo Games.
Chanu’s career has also included significant setbacks. She failed to register a valid lift at the Rio 2016 Olympics before bouncing back spectacularly at Tokyo 2020, where she won silver.
Her silver in Nagoya adds another major chapter to a career defined by perseverance and a sustained presence at the highest level of international weightlifting.
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