Mirabai Chanu Extends World Championships Legacy with Silver Medal Performance

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India's Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu returned to the World Weightlifting Championships podium in commanding fashion, clinching a silver medal in the women's 48kg category at Forde, Norway, on Thursday. The 31 year old Manipuri athlete lifted a total of 199kg, marking her third career medal at the World Championships.

This performance ended India's three year medal drought at the World Championships since her last silver in 2022. Chanu, who won gold at the 2017 World Championships and silver in 2022.

Chanu's most celebrated achievement came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she won a historic silver medal in the women's 49kg category with a total lift of 202kg. This made her only the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal, and marked a triumphant comeback after her disappointing performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics where she failed to register a single valid lift. The Tokyo Olympics silver medal was particularly significant as it came after years of struggle following Rio 2016, where intense criticism had almost forced her to consider quitting the sport. Her resilience and determination transformed her from a heartbroken athlete into one of India's most beloved sporting heroes.

At the 2025 World Championships, Chanu demonstrated her tactical acumen despite some early struggles. She started with an 84kg snatch lift that matched her national record, though she failed her subsequent attempts at 87kg. However, she showcased her renowned clean and jerk strength, successfully completing all three attempts of 109kg, 112kg, and 115kg. Her final lift of 115kg was particularly significant, matching her Tokyo Olympics performance and lifting more than twice her body weight. The 115kg clean and jerk secured her silver medal position and demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure.

Chanu's silver medal came after a strategic move down from the 49kg Olympic weight category to 48kg, where she previously won world and Commonwealth medals. This transition, necessitated by changes in competition categories, posed new challenges around weight management which she embraced with strong support from her coaching team.

Throughout her career, Chanu has been a consistent record breaker. She holds multiple national records and was a former world record holder in clean and jerk in the 49kg category. Her 199kg total in Norway also represents a new national record in the 48kg category.

North Korea's Ri Song-gum dominated the championships, winning gold with a world record total of 213kg, while Thailand's Thanyathon Sukcharoen claimed bronze with 198kg which was just one kilogram behind Chanu.

This latest achievement reinforces Mirabai Chanu's position as India's premier weightlifter and adds another chapter to her inspiring journey from Rio heartbreak to Olympic glory and continued World Championships success. Her performance in Norway proves that at 31, she remains at the pinnacle of international weightlifting.