Glasgow (Scotland): Olympic silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu delivered a spectacular performance to hand India its first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, storming to victory in the women’s 48kg weightlifting event on Sunday with a record-breaking total lift of 190kg.
The 31-year-old weightlifting star from Manipur once again showcased her dominance on the Commonwealth stage by lifting 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk, setting new Commonwealth Games records in both the overall total and the clean and jerk category.
Despite missing her opening snatch attempt at 82kg, Mirabai recovered strongly to successfully lift 85kg and establish an early advantage over the field. She also stumbled on her first clean and jerk attempt but responded in emphatic fashion with a successful 105kg lift, sealing the gold medal well before the competition concluded.
The triumph marks Mirabai’s third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, following her victories at the Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 editions. She had earlier claimed silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, also held in Glasgow, making this another memorable chapter in her illustrious Commonwealth career.
Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong secured the silver medal with a combined lift of 168kg, finishing 22kg behind the Indian champion. With the title already assured, Mirabai elected to skip her final clean and jerk attempt, choosing to preserve her fitness ahead of the Asian Games, which are scheduled to begin in less than two months.
The emphatic victory not only gave India its opening gold medal of the Glasgow Games but also reaffirmed Mirabai Chanu’s status as one of the country’s most accomplished weightlifters, as she continues to build on an already distinguished international career.
