Quick answer: Mirabai Chanu won gold in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, lifting a total of 190kg. It’s her third consecutive CWG gold and fourth Commonwealth medal overall.
She’s 31. In weightlifting, that’s the age where careers usually start winding down, not peaking. But Saikhom Mirabai Chanu doesn’t seem to have gotten that memo. At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, she lifted a total of 190 kilograms in the women’s 48kg category and handed India its very first gold medal of the Games. Third Commonwealth gold in a row for her now, after Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022. Add the silver from Glasgow 2014, and that’s four Commonwealth medals total.
But if you just read the scoreline, you’re missing most of the story. There’s a weight-category gamble buried in here that barely anyone’s written about, a comeback from injuries that would’ve ended most careers, and what this actually means for a state that’s had a rough few years for reasons that have nothing to do with sport.
- Mirabai Chanu won the gold medal in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
- She lifted a total of 190kg, including an 85kg snatch (a new Commonwealth Games record) and a 105kg clean and jerk.
- Her victory earned India its first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
- This is Mirabai Chanu’s third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, following her victories at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022, and her fourth Commonwealth Games medal overall, including a silver at Glasgow 2014.
- On the same day, fellow Manipuri weightlifter Chanambam Rishikanta Singh won the silver medal in the men’s 60kg event.
- For the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Mirabai competed in the 48kg category after previously competing in the 49kg class, where she won the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
- Ruth Asuquo Nyong of Nigeria won the silver medal, while Irene Jane Henry of Malaysia claimed the bronze.
- Mirabai Chanu is also the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist, a Padma Shri awardee (2018), and a Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award recipient.
This report is for sports news readers, weightlifting fans, and anyone tracking India’s medal count at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
What Actually Happened on the Platform
Her snatch attempts didn’t go smoothly right out of the gate. Mirabai missed her opening 82kg snatch attempt before successfully lifting 82kg. She then cleared 85kg on her final snatch attempt, setting a new Commonwealth Games record.Not a bad way to recover from a miss.
Clean and jerk had its own drama. Opening attempt at 105kg didn’t go through. Second attempt, though — she got it, and that was enough to seal gold. With the lead already locked up, she didn’t even bother with a third attempt.
Silver went to Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong, bronze to Malaysia’s Irene Jane Henry.
Here’s a detail worth pausing on: the same day, another Manipuri lifter, Chanambam Rishikanta Singh, won silver in the men’s 60kg event. Two of India’s medals on day one, both from the same state.
The Part Most Coverage Skipped: She Switched Weight Categories
For the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Mirabai competed in the 48kg category after spending recent years in the Olympic 49kg class, where she won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Adjusting to a different weight category required changes to her training, nutrition and competition strategy, but she adapted successfully and went on to win gold.
Her Career Has Basically Been One Long Comeback
If you look past the medal count, it’s mostly a story about getting hurt and getting back up:
- 2018 — A persistent back injury kept her out of competition for nearly a year.
- 2023, Hangzhou Asian Games — a thigh injury bad enough that she had to be carried off the floor. Six months out after that.
- Paris 2024 Olympics — fourth place. Painfully close to a podium finish, and no medal to show for it.
Throughout her recovery journey, Mirabai has worked with U.S.-based physiotherapist Dr. Aaron Horschig as part of her rehabilitation from major injuries. And now, at 31, she’s back on top of the podium. Age being “just a number” is a cliché, sure, but it’s hard to argue with the evidence here.
Why This Matters More for Manipur Than a Regular Gold Medal Would
Manipur has faced prolonged social and political unrest in recent years. Against that backdrop, Mirabai Chanu’s gold medal and Chanambam Rishikanta Singh’s silver provided a moment of pride and sporting success for the state. Against that backdrop, a win like this from Mirabai Chanu, alongside Rishikanta Singh’s silver, gives the state a different story to tell for once. It’s also worth remembering Manipur has quietly been India’s weightlifting hub for decades — Kunjarani Devi came before Mirabai, and there’s a real pipeline of talent coming out of this small northeastern state that doesn’t get nearly enough credit nationally.
A Quick Look at Her Career So Far
| Achievement | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Games Silver | 2014 | Glasgow |
| Commonwealth Games Gold | 2018 | Gold Coast |
| Olympic Silver (49kg) | 2020 (Tokyo) | Tokyo |
| Commonwealth Games Gold | 2022 | Birmingham |
| Commonwealth Games Gold | 2026 | — |
She’s also a Padma Shri (2018) and Khel Ratna recipient, and by most measures, one of the best female weightlifters India has ever produced.
What Comes Next for Her
She’s said more than once that an Asian Games medal is still “unfinished business” — she’s come close three separate times and missed out, mostly due to injuries. Off the platform, she’s also chairperson of the Athletes Commission at the Indian Weightlifting Federation, and she’s started a training centre in Modinagar called “Weightlifting Warriors,” aimed at young girls with an eye on the 2036 Olympics. So it’s not just about her own medals anymore — she’s building something for whoever comes after her too.
There’s still one more Indian shot at a weightlifting medal at these Games — M Raja competes in the men’s 65kg category.
FAQs
How much did Mirabai Chanu lift to win gold at CWG 2026?
A. 190kg total — 85kg snatch, 105kg clean and jerk — in the women’s 48kg category.
How many Commonwealth Games medals does she have now?
Four total. Three of them gold, one silver.
Which state is she from?
Manipur, in northeast India.
Who won India’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games by winning the women’s 48kg weightlifting event.
Has she won an Olympic medal too?
Yes — silver in the women’s 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Sources & Citations
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- NE Now – Original Report
- Olympics.com – Mirabai Chanu Athlete Profile
- Olympics.com – Who is Mirabai Chanu?
- Olympics.com – Injury Management & Paris 2024
- The Bridge Chronicle – Weight Category Switch & Comeback
- India TV News – Comeback Story Profile
- New Kerala – Asian Games “Unfinished Business”
- ESPN Africa – Paris Qualification
- Commonwealth Games 2026 – Weightlifting Results (Official Results)
