A Golden Hat-trick in Glasgow
On Sunday, in Glasgow, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu cemented her legacy as one of India's greatest athletes, clinching the gold medal in the women's 48kg category to complete a historic hat-trick of Commonwealth Games titles. Following her triumphs in Gold Coast
(2018) and Birmingham (2022), this win was a masterclass in resilience. Despite a stumble on her first snatch attempt, she roared back, setting new Games records along the way. Visibly emotional after her victory, Chanu confessed the immense pressure she was under. "I am extremely happy and also very emotional. I made so many sacrifices and overcame stress and injuries to reach the Games and win a medal," she shared, her words capturing the true weight of her achievement.
The Price of a Kilogram
The story behind this particular gold is one of extreme physical discipline. To compete in the 48kg category, Chanu, whose natural weight is higher, had to endure an intense struggle. She revealed the shocking extent of her sacrifice: for three days leading up to the event, she consumed no food and drank no water to make weight. "Managing my weight is extremely difficult... for 48kg it becomes more which is really tough," she explained. This brutal process is a familiar pain for elite weightlifters, but Chanu's ability to not just endure it but to emerge a record-breaking champion speaks volumes about her mental fortitude. This discipline extends to her daily life, where she forgoes even simple pleasures like bread and milk to maintain her competitive edge.
From Rio's Heartbreak to Redemption
This journey of a thousand lifts began with a single, crushing failure. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, a 21-year-old Chanu failed to register a single valid lift in the clean and jerk, ending her campaign with a heartbreaking 'Did Not Finish'. The disappointment was so profound that she contemplated quitting the sport altogether, seeking help from psychologists to process the failure. But that despair became the fuel for one of the most incredible comebacks in Indian sport. A year later, she was a World Champion. She followed that with her first CWG gold in 2018 and, most significantly, an Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020, banishing the ghosts of Rio for good.
A Life Forged in Discipline
Long before the stadiums and medals, Chanu's strength was forged in the forests of her village, Nongpok Kakching in Manipur. As a young girl, she would haul bundles of firewood that even her older brother struggled to lift, an early sign of her prodigious talent. Inspired by fellow Manipuri weightlifting icon Kunjarani Devi, she dedicated her life to the sport. This dedication meant years away from home, a tightly controlled diet of boiled foods and salads, and missing crucial family events like her own sister's wedding to compete for her country. Her career is a testament to the idea that champions are not born; they are built through relentless hard work and the quiet, unseen sacrifices made far away from the spotlight.
