Mirabai Chanu returns to action in style with gold in Commonwealth Championships

Tokyo Olympics medallist Mirabai Chanu marked her return to competitive action in style, clinching gold at the Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad on Monday, 25 August. The Indian weightlifting star dominated the women's 48kg event, finishing well clear of her rivals with a total lift of 193kg (84kg snatch, 109kg clean and jerk).

On Monday, Mirabai looked a class above the rest of the field. The contest was effectively about her testing her limits, and she made a strong statement after being out of action since the Olympic final last year.

She smashed the Commonwealth records for both snatch and clean and jerk in the 48kg category.

"I am truly delighted to win the gold medal here in Ahmedabad. Competing on home soil after a year since the Paris Olympics made this moment even more special, and the support from the crowd gave me immense motivation," Mirabai said.

"This victory is the result of relentless hard work, my coaches’ guidance, and the constant encouragement of the nation. It’s a great confidence boost as I prepare for the World Championships in October, and I’ll continue to give my best to make India proud on the international stage."

Prior to Monday's triumph, Mirabai had competed at the Paris Olympics, where she narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the women's 49kg category. This event marked her first appearance in the 48kg division since 2018. With the International Weightlifting Federation scrapping the 49kg class - in which she won Olympic silver in 2021 - Mirabai has now returned to her original category, where she has also been a world championship medallist.

Despite showing signs of rust, failing her first snatch attempt at 84kg, she succeeded with the same weight on her second try. She then attempted 89kg in her final effort but was unable to complete the lift.

In the clean and jerk, Mirabai opened with 105kg before successfully clearing 109kg. She attempted 113kg for her final lift but could not register a clean attempt.

Malaysia's Irene Henry secured silver with a total of 161kg (73kg + 88kg), while Wales' Nikole Roberts claimed bronze with 150kg (70kg + 80kg).

This victory gave Mirabai her third Commonwealth Championships gold medal in the 48kg category, adding to her titles from 2013 and 2017. She also won silver in Pune in 2015.

The Commonwealth Championships serve as a qualification event for next year's Commonwealth Games, where Mirabai is once again expected to be among the favourites.

However, her immediate focus will shift to this year's World Championships, where she will aim for a podium finish in the 48kg class. She also has her sights set on the Asian Games next year, one of the few major competitions where she has yet to win a medal.