Mirabai Chanu has finally found the Asian Games podium. The Indian weightlifter won silver in the women’s 49kg event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 23, 2026, lifting 198kg in total. She managed 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song-gum won gold with 215kg, while Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze at 191kg.
For Chanu, this was more than another medal. The Asian Games had been the one major stage missing from a career already carrying an Olympic silver, a world title and repeated Commonwealth Games success. Her Nagoya silver also gave India its first Asian Games weightlifting medal since Karnam Malleswari’s silver in Bangkok in 1998.
- Chanu won her first Asian Games medal with a 198kg total in the women’s 49kg category.
- She completed all three snatch attempts, moving through 83kg, 85kg and 87kg.
- Ri Song-gum finished 17kg ahead of Chanu with a 215kg total.
- India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal ended in Nagoya.
How Mirabai Chanu Finally Broke Her Asian Games Jinx
The Asian Games had produced some of Chanu’s toughest international days. She finished ninth at Incheon 2014, missed Jakarta 2018 because of a back injury and came close at Hangzhou, held in 2023, where an injury-hit clean and jerk left her fourth.
Nagoya changed that story. Chanu opened her snatch with 83kg, then cleared 85kg and 87kg. In the clean and jerk, successful lifts of 107kg and 111kg secured second place. Her 198kg total was seven kilograms above bronze medallist Wijayana.
The result followed another big 2026 performance. Chanu had already won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, competing in the 48kg class and posting a Games-record 190kg total. She returned to training soon afterward with the Asian Games still on her list.
Has Mirabai Chanu Now Completed Her Major-Games Medal Collection?
In the usual career sense, yes. Chanu now owns medals from the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, the biggest stages that have shaped her senior career.
Her run includes Tokyo Olympic silver in 2021, World Championships gold in 2017, a later World Championship silver, Commonwealth Games titles and now an Asian Games silver. Nagoya therefore closes the clearest gap in an already decorated career.
It does not mean every target has been achieved. Olympic gold remains available, while Los Angeles 2028 brings another challenge because the women’s 49kg class will not be contested there. The next Olympic cycle begins at 53kg, and Chanu has said that move will need careful planning.
Why This Silver Carries Extra Weight
Asian weightlifting is packed with elite competition. Chanu had spoken before the Games about the strength of Asian lifters and why this medal stayed so important to her. Ri showed that level in Nagoya, finishing well clear of the field.
The medal also arrived five years after Chanu won Olympic silver in Tokyo. Japan has now staged two of the biggest podium finishes of her career.
India’s 28-Year Weightlifting Wait Ends In Nagoya
Before Nagoya, India had not won a weightlifting medal at the Asian Games since Karnam Malleswari took silver in 1998. That drought lasted across several editions, including Chanu’s own frustrating attempts.
The Prime Minister’s Office congratulated Chanu after the final, calling it a “special Silver” and praising her consistency. An official SAI Media post on X also marked the result as her first Asian Games medal and highlighted the 198kg total.
For Indian weightlifting, the timing is notable. Chanu remains the country’s best-known active lifter while younger athletes are trying to establish themselves internationally. A podium finish at the continental Games puts the sport back in the Asian Games medal conversation.
What Comes Next For Mirabai Chanu After Asian Games Silver?
The immediate question is how Chanu manages the switch toward the 53kg Olympic category. She has spent much of her elite career around 48kg and 49kg, so adding bodyweight without losing speed or technical sharpness will shape the next phase.
At 32, she has already stretched her medal-winning career across several cycles. Nagoya removes the Asian Games medal from the unfinished-business list. What follows is less about filling an empty slot and more about deciding how far she wants to carry the journey toward Los Angeles 2028.
FAQs
What medal did Mirabai Chanu win at the 2026 Asian Games?
She won silver in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event with a combined total of 198kg.
Who won gold ahead of Mirabai Chanu in Nagoya?
North Korea’s Ri Song-gum won gold with a 215kg total in the women’s 49kg final.
How much did Mirabai Chanu lift in snatch?
Chanu lifted 87kg in snatch after clearing all three attempts during the final in Nagoya.
When did India last win an Asian Games weightlifting medal?
Before Chanu, Karnam Malleswari won India’s previous Asian Games weightlifting medal in Bangkok in 1998.
Has Mirabai Chanu won an Olympic medal?
Yes, Chanu won the women’s 49kg silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.
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