Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026: India 3rd in women's, 5th in men's team rankings
Synopsis
Hosting the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships for the first time at Gandhinagar's Mahatma Mandir, India delivered a creditable double — third in women's and fifth in men's team rankings — while the event itself shattered records: 25 world records and 27 Asian records in six days. The 10-medal haul, however, included no gold, marking the ceiling India must now break through.
Key Takeaways
India placed third in the women's team standings ( 487 points ) and fifth in the men's ( 379 points ) at the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships 2026 .
The championship was held at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar from 11 to 17 May 2026 , featuring 172 athletes from 30 nations .
India won 10 medals in total — 1 silver and 9 bronze — with no gold medals.
China topped both team standings and the overall medal tally with 21 gold medals.
The event produced 27 Asian records and 25 world records , according to official results.
Women's best lifter: Ri Suk (DPR Korea, 63 kg); Men's best lifter: HE Yueji (China, 65 kg).
India finished third in the women's team standings and fifth in the men's team standings at the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships 2026, which concluded on Sunday, 18 May at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The six-day championship, organised by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), ran from 11 to 17 May and drew 172 athletes from 30 nations — 97 men and 75 women — making it one of the continent's most competitive editions in recent years.
Team Standings and Points
In the women's team rankings, China topped the table with 578 points, followed by Chinese Taipei on 491 points. India claimed third place with 487 points, ahead of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Korea, who rounded out the top six.
The men's standings told a similar story of Chinese dominance. China led with 593 points, DPR Korea followed on 478, and Uzbekistan placed third on 409. Chinese Taipei finished fourth with 392 points, India fifth with 379, and Turkmenistan sixth with 344.
India's Medal Haul
India returned a total of 10 medals from the championships — one silver and nine bronze. The performance on home soil was described by federation officials as a demonstration of 'tremendous fighting spirit', though the absence of a gold underlines the gap that remains between India and the continent's elite programmes.
Notably, the championship was a record-breaking affair: 27 Asian records and 25 world records were set across the competition, according to official results — a figure that reflects the exceptionally high standard of lifting on display at Gandhinagar.
Overall Medal Tally
China dominated the medal standings with 21 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze medals. DPR Korea followed with 18 gold, 11 silver and 1 bronze. Chinese Taipei finished with 3 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze. Other nations in the medal standings included Bahrain, Iran, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Qatar, South Korea, Turkmenistan, Japan, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines.
Individual Best Lifter Awards
The women's best lifter honour went to Ri Suk of DPR Korea, who recorded 1013.191 ROBI points in the 63 kg category. The men's best lifter was HE Yueji of China, who scored 1052.189 ROBI points in the 65 kg category.
What the Federation Said
Ashwani Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, called the event a milestone for the sport in India. 'The successful hosting of the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Gandhinagar marks a proud moment for Indian weightlifting and Indian sport. The championship showcased exceptional standards, several world and Asian records and remarkable participation from the continent's finest athletes,' he said.
Kumar also acknowledged the support that made the event possible: 'We are grateful to the international technical officials, volunteers and the state government for their tremendous support in making this championship a grand success. India's athletes also displayed tremendous fighting spirit and delivered commendable performances on home soil,' he added.
The final session of competition featured the women's 86+ kg category, followed by a closing ceremony attended by officials of the Asian Weightlifting Federation, international delegates, athletes, coaches, and sports administrators. With the championships now complete, attention turns to how India's weightlifters will carry this momentum into upcoming international qualification cycles.
Point of View
Fifth in men's — on home soil is a respectable result, but the absence of a single gold medal is the headline that federation officials would prefer to avoid. China's near-total dominance, with 21 golds to India's zero, is not new, but hosting a championship of this scale was India's best opportunity to close the visibility gap. The record-breaking nature of the event — 25 world records set — also underscores how far the global standard has moved; India's 10 medals, while commendable in volume, were concentrated in bronze, which suggests competitive depth but not yet elite-level finishing. The real test of this championship's legacy will be whether the home-crowd advantage and federation investment translate into a structured pathway toward gold-medal performances at the 2028 Olympic qualification cycle.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when was the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships 2026 held?
The Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships 2026 was held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 11 to 17 May 2026. The event was organised by the Indian Weightlifting Federation and featured 172 athletes from 30 nations.
How did India perform at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026?
India finished third in the women's team standings with 487 points and fifth in the men's team standings with 379 points. The country won a total of 10 medals — 1 silver and 9 bronze — but did not claim any gold medals.
Which country topped the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026?
China topped both the women's and men's team standings, finishing first with 578 and 593 points respectively. China also led the overall medal tally with 21 gold, 12 silver, and 8 bronze medals.
Who won the best lifter awards at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships?
Ri Suk of DPR Korea was named the women's best lifter with 1013.191 ROBI points in the 63 kg category. HE Yueji of China was named the men's best lifter with 1052.189 ROBI points in the 65 kg category.
How many world and Asian records were broken at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships?
According to official results, the championship saw 25 world records and 27 Asian records set across the six days of competition, reflecting the exceptionally high standard of performance at Gandhinagar.
