Mirabai Chanu wins Asian Games silver, ends India's 28-year wait in weightlifting
Synopsis
Mirabai Chanu's silver in Nagoya didn't just add a medal — it snapped a 28-year Asian Games drought for Indian weightlifting. Coach Vijay Sharma says the podium, elusive since Karnam Malleswari's silver in Bangkok in 1998, was the one dream missing from his career. For a sport that has long punched below its weight on the Asian stage, this result could be the catalyst for a new generation.
Key Takeaways
Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women's 49kg category at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 23 September .
She lifted a total of 198kg — 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk.
Gold went to Ri Song-gum (North Korea, 210kg ); bronze to Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri (Indonesia, 191kg ).
The medal ended India's 28-year wait in weightlifting at the Asian Games, since Karnam Malleswari's silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games .
Coach Vijay Sharma described the achievement as the fulfilment of a lifelong professional dream.
Chanu now has medals from the Olympics , Asian Games , and Commonwealth Games .
Mirabai Chanu claimed a historic silver medal in the women's 49kg category at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 23 September, lifting a total of 198kg (87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk) to end India's 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the continental showpiece. The achievement moved her coach Vijay Sharma to declare that a lifelong professional dream had finally been fulfilled.
The Podium and the Numbers
Ri Song-gum of North Korea claimed gold with a total of 210kg, while Indonesia's Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri took bronze at 191kg. Chanu's 198kg effort placed her firmly between the two, a performance that underlined both her class and India's growing competitiveness in the discipline.
A Long Road to the Podium
The silver was particularly meaningful given Chanu's difficult Asian Games history. She missed the 2018 edition entirely due to injury, and at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, a thigh injury hampered her clean and jerk, leaving her to finish fourth. The Nagoya podium, therefore, represented not just a competitive milestone but a personal reckoning with years of near-misses. The medal also completed Chanu's podium collection across the three premier multi-sport events — the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.
What Coach Vijay Sharma Said
'Every coach has a dream. You set certain goals for yourself and think, 'This is something I have to achieve in my life.' One thing that was missing from my list of dreams was an Asian Games medal. Today, I have got that medal, so my dream has been fulfilled. And now, after achieving this, perhaps I can dream of new things,' Sharma said.
He was equally emphatic about the wider significance of the result for Indian weightlifting as a whole: 'This medal is as important to me as it is for the country, and it is equally important for Indian weightlifting. The last medal came in 1998, and we have got another medal today after all these years. So, this medal is important for the next generation of Indian weightlifters because it shows that we can stand up again and win medals at the Asian Games.'
A Historic Milestone for Indian Weightlifting
India's previous Asian Games weightlifting medal had come 28 years ago, when Karnam Malleswari won silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games. That gap — spanning multiple Olympic cycles and coaching generations — underscores just how significant Chanu's performance in Nagoya truly is. Notably, Malleswari herself went on to win Olympic bronze at Sydney 2000, a trajectory that Sharma is now hoping Chanu's achievement can inspire for the next crop of Indian lifters.
India's Medal Tally and What Comes Next
Chanu's silver added to India's overall medal tally at the ongoing Asian Games. With the 28-year drought now broken, attention will turn to whether this result can accelerate grassroots investment in Indian weightlifting infrastructure. Sharma suggested as much, noting that the medal sends a clear signal to the next generation that the Asian stage is within reach.
Point of View
But the 28-year gap is the real story. Indian weightlifting has not lacked talent — it has lacked the structural consistency to convert talent into Asian Games podiums. That one athlete has carried this burden across multiple cycles, enduring injuries and near-misses, says something uncomfortable about the depth of the programme. The question Sharma's joy should prompt is not 'how did Chanu win?' but 'why did it take 28 years, and what changes now to ensure the next medal is not another generation away?'
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Mirabai Chanu win at the Asian Games?
Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 23 September. She lifted a total of 198kg, comprising 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk.
How long had India waited for an Asian Games weightlifting medal before Chanu's silver?
India had waited 28 years for an Asian Games weightlifting medal. The previous one was a silver won by Karnam Malleswari at the 1998 Bangkok Games.
Why is this medal especially significant for Mirabai Chanu personally?
Chanu missed the 2018 Asian Games due to injury and finished fourth at the 2023 Hangzhou Games after a thigh injury hurt her clean and jerk performance. The Nagoya silver completes her medal set across the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.
Who won gold and bronze in the women's 49kg category at the Asian Games?
Ri Song-gum of North Korea won gold with a 210kg total. Indonesia's Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri took bronze with 191kg.
What did coach Vijay Sharma say about the silver medal?
Sharma said the Asian Games medal was the one missing item from his list of coaching dreams. He also stressed that the result carries enormous importance for the future of Indian weightlifting, as it demonstrates to the next generation that Asian Games medals are achievable.
