Glasgow, July 29 (IANS) Less than three days after rewriting the record books with yet another Commonwealth Games gold medal, Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu is already back in training, shifting her focus to the next major target on India’s sporting calendar, the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The Indian weightlifting icon was spotted training in Glasgow as she began preparations for the continental showpiece. With the Commonwealth Games title secured, Mirabai has wasted little time in turning her attention to the only major multi-sport prize that has so far eluded her.
The Manipur-born weightlifter opened India’s gold-medal account at the Commonwealth Games 2026 by clinching the women’s 48kg title in commanding fashion. Despite failing her opening 82kg snatch attempt, she recovered brilliantly to clear the weight on her second lift before raising the bar to 85kg, setting new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch.
She encountered another hurdle in the clean and jerk after dropping her first attempt, but responded with the composure of a seasoned champion by successfully lifting 105kg on her second attempt, sealing the gold medal well before the competition concluded.
The triumph completed a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games titles for Mirabai, who had earlier won gold at Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. Her Commonwealth journey began with a silver medal at Glasgow 2014, making her one of the most decorated weightlifters in the history of the Games.
The Asian Games, however, remains unfinished business. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Mirabai finished fourth in the women’s 49kg event with a total lift of 191kg, comprising 83kg in the snatch and 108kg in the clean and jerk. Her medal hopes ended painfully when she sustained a thigh injury while attempting 117kg in her final clean and jerk effort.
Now fully fit and carrying the confidence of another Commonwealth Games triumph, Mirabai has already begun laying the foundation for another medal bid. With the Asian Games fast approaching, India’s most celebrated weightlifter will be hoping her latest chapter in Glasgow becomes the springboard for redemption on the continental stage.
–IANS
vi/
