After 28 years, Mirabai Chanu is finally putting India back on the Asian Weightlifting Games podium

Mirabai Chanu and Karnam Malleswari (Image credit: Agencies) NEW DELHI: For 28 years, Indian weightlifting has been waiting for this moment. There were new riders, big names and fresh hopes of a return to the Asian Games podium. But the medal remained out of reach.On Wednesday, Mirabai Chanu finally ended the wait.With India’s hopes resting on her shoulders, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist lifted 198kg to win silver in the women’s 49kg event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.It was India’s first weightlifting medal at the Asian Games since Karnam Malleswari won silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games.

Waiting 28 years

The last Asian Games weightlifting medal came in 1998 when Malleswari won silver in Bangkok. India failed to win a weightlifting medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan. The 2006 Asian Games in Doha brought another setback. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has suspended the Indian Weightlifting Federation following several positive doping tests. India did not participate in weightlifting events after the government failed to pay a $50,000 fine to the IWF to lift the suspension.India sent 12 weightlifters to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, but they returned without a medal.Four years later, seven weightlifters built in Incheon, India. The team included names like Sathish Sivalingam, Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu, Mirabai and Punam Yadav. But again, the Indian weightlifters came back empty-handed.The 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang also ended without an Indian weightlifting medal. India fielded four competitors, with Sathish Sivalingam among the senior names and medal contenders.Then came the 2022 Asian Games, held in Hangzhou in 2023.There was fresh hope as Mirabai was one of India’s leading medal contenders. India sent only two weightlifters – Mirabai and Bindyarani Devi. Both came close but India’s wait continued. Mirabai narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, finishing fourth after injury prevented her from completing a final clean attempt.

Nagoya brought another chance

When the Asian Games arrived in 2026, Mirabai once again carried India’s hopes. She entered the competition full of confidence after winning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow this year. However, the Asian Games presented a stronger challenge, with North Korea’s defending champion and world champion Ri Song Gum leading the field.This time Mirabai took the opportunity. Mirabai finished in Nagoya with a total of 198 kg. She deadlifted 87kg before achieving a best lift of 111kg in the clean and jerk. That was enough for silver and ended India’s 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal from the Asian Games.Ri Song Gum won gold with a record total of 215 kg. She lifted 94 kg in the snatch and 121 kg in the throw. The bronze went to Indonesian Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana with a total performance of 191 kg.For Mirabai, silver was more than just another medal. She won Olympic silver, World Championship medals and several Commonwealth Games titles. But the Asian Games medal was still missing from her collection.And after 28 years, Indian weightlifting is back among the medals.