The Lift that Broke the Jinx
In the tense atmosphere of the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center, Mirabai Chanu secured her silver with a commanding total lift of 198kg. This performance was composed of a clean 87kg in the snatch round followed by a powerful 111kg in the clean and jerk.
The final successful lift did more than just secure her a place on the podium; it exorcised the ghosts of past attempts and broke a nearly three-decade-long dry spell for Indian weightlifting at the continental games. The medal was not just a personal victory but a collective sigh of relief and a roar of celebration for Indian sports fans who had waited patiently for this moment.
A 28-Year Wait is Over
To understand the magnitude of this achievement, one must look back to 1998. The last Indian weightlifter to win a medal at the Asian Games was the legendary Karnam Malleswari, who won a silver at the Bangkok Games. Since then, a generation of lifters had come and gone without tasting success at this specific event, which is known for its incredibly high standard of competition, often dominated by powerhouses like China and North Korea. Chanu’s silver medal in Aichi-Nagoya is not just another addition to her trophy cabinet; it’s a landmark achievement that places her in the annals of Indian sports history and signals a resurgence for the sport in the country.
A Fierce Battle for the Podium
The competition in the women's 49kg category was formidable. The gold was claimed by North Korea's Ri Song-gum, a two-time world champion who set a new world record with an astonishing total lift of 215kg. Chanu was clinical and strategic in her attempts, successfully lifting 83kg, 85kg, and 87kg in the snatch. In the clean and jerk, she opened with 107kg before raising the weight to 111kg, securing her medal position without needing a third attempt. Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took home the bronze with a total lift of 191kg.
Completing the Grand Slam
For Chanu, this silver medal was the final, elusive piece in a glittering collection of accolades. An Olympic silver medallist, a World Champion, and a multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallist, the Asian Games podium was the one major honour that had escaped her until now. She had heartbreakingly missed out in previous editions, finishing ninth in 2014, missing the 2018 games due to injury, and finishing a painful fourth in Hangzhou in 2023. This victory in Japan, the same country where she won her Olympic medal, brings her journey full circle and cements her status as one of India’s most decorated and resilient athletes. She now joins Karnam Malleswari as only the second Indian weightlifter to have won a medal at every major international competition.
