Glasgow, July 29: Just hours after securing a historic gold medal for India at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Mirabai Chanu has begun her preparations for the upcoming Asian Games. The Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
The 31-year-old Indian weightlifter was spotted training in Glasgow, where she is gearing up for this significant continental tournament. Following her Commonwealth Games triumph, Mirabai wasted no time in focusing on the one major multi-sport title that has eluded her so far.
Born in Manipur, Chanu achieved a hat-trick of gold medals by winning the women’s 48 kg category at the Commonwealth Games. She initially claimed a silver medal in 2014, followed by gold medals in 2018 and 2022.
At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Mirabai faced challenges in her first attempt at the 82 kg ‘snatch’ but made a remarkable comeback by successfully lifting the weight on her second attempt. She then increased the weight to 85 kg, setting a new Commonwealth record in the snatch.
In the ‘clean and jerk’ category, she also encountered difficulties with her first attempt but secured the gold medal by lifting 105 kg on her second attempt before the competition concluded.
Despite her three consecutive gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, Mirabai’s goal at the Asian Games remains unfulfilled. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she finished fourth in the women’s 49 kg event, lifting a total of 191 kg, which included 83 kg in the snatch and 108 kg in the clean and jerk. During her final attempt at 117 kg in the clean and jerk, she sustained a thigh injury. However, she is now fully fit, and her recent victory at the Commonwealth Games has undoubtedly boosted her confidence.
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