The Indian flag rose, the national anthem echoed through Glasgow, and Mirabai Chanu could no longer hold back the tears.
Standing atop the podium after winning India’s first gold medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Olympic silver medallist was overcome with emotion as Jana Gana Mana played at the Games.
A memory that will stay with Mirabai Chanu forever 💭 pic.twitter.com/FV3cM4lIsn
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) July 26, 2026
Mirabai claimed the women’s 48kg weightlifting title with a dominant total lift of 190kg, becoming the first female weightlifter in Commonwealth Games history to win three consecutive gold medals.
A Champion’s Response
The competition did not begin perfectly. Mirabai failed her opening snatch attempt at 82kg, but the miss barely
disrupted her rhythm.
She returned to successfully lift 82kg on her second attempt, setting a new Commonwealth Games record. On her final snatch, she raised the bar to 85kg and cleared it with ease, establishing a new Commonwealth record and taking firm control of the event.
The clean and jerk followed a similar script. Her opening lift of 105kg ended in disappointment, but the Indian responded immediately, completing the same weight on her second attempt to set another Commonwealth Games record and put the gold beyond doubt.
Her winning total of 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk left her 22kg clear of Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong, who finished with 168kg.
Full Circle in Glasgow
It was in Glasgow, back in 2014, that Mirabai won Commonwealth silver in the 48kg category while compatriot Sanjita Chanu took gold. Twelve years later, she returned to the same city as one of India’s most decorated athletes and left with another gold medal, more records and another slice of history.
This was also another milestone in a remarkable year for the Manipuri lifter. Earlier in 2026, she rewrote the national record books with a career-best total of 205kg at the Senior National Weightlifting Championships.
