"Ultimate dream for us": Mirabai Chanu after ending long wait for Asian Games medal

By Vivek Prabhakar Singh
New Delhi [India], September 29 : Mirabai Chanu on Tuesday expressed her delight after returning to New Delhi with a silver medal from the Asian Games 2026, saying she had waited years for the achievement.
Chanu secured the silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games in Japan, adding the continental medal to an already decorated career that includes an Olympic medal, a World Championship medal and three Commonwealth Games gold medals.
"I am overjoyed. I had been waiting for this day for years. I already had an Olympic medal and a World Championship medal, and I was a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. But this was the ultimate dream for us; it was incredibly important to me, and now I’ve finally secured it. I’ve added the Asian Games medal to my collection, and having achieved something for India and for weightlifting, I am absolutely delighted," Chanu said after arriving in New Delhi on Tuesday morning.
The 32-year-old lifted a combined 198kg, with successful attempts of 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won gold with 215kg, while Wijayana claimed bronze.
Reflecting on her preparation, Chanu said the Asian Games were particularly important for her after she suffered an injury during the previous edition.
"We trained very well. These Asian Games were crucial for me because I had suffered an injury during the previous ones. So, this was my best opportunity to prove myself. The preparation routine didn't change much; we stuck to the same methods we had been using before," she said.
The medal ended a long wait for Chanu at the Asian Games. She had narrowly missed the podium at Hangzhou 2023 after an injury forced her to withdraw from her final clean and jerk attempt, leaving her fourth.
The 32-year-old entered the Aichi-Nagoya Games after winning gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She is also a three-time Commonwealth Games champion and won Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020.
With her maiden Asian Games medal, Chanu became the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleshwari to win medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Asian Championships and Commonwealth Championships.
Born in Nongpok Kakching, Manipur, Chanu began formal weightlifting training in 2008 and went on to establish herself as one of India’s leading weightlifters. Chanu said the team was determined to make the most of the opportunity and had a clear strategy for the weights she would attempt during the competition.
"We were determined not to let this opportunity slip away. We went onto the stage with a clear strategy regarding the weights, deciding exactly what to attempt and where to start... We simply focused more on the specific weight combinations we might face and planned accordingly..." she added.