Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu won silver in the 49kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Hyderabad on Friday, claiming her third career medal at the event. She has now won two silvers and one gold at the Worlds.
Chanu lifted a total of 199kg, comprising 84kg in the snatch and 115kg in the clean and jerk, marking her third podium finish at the World Championships. This effort ended India’s three-year wait for a medal in the competition.
The 2017 world champion and 2022 silver-medallist had two failed attempts at 87kg. Even her first lift at 84kg looked slightly uncomfortable, but she regained her rhythm in the clean and jerk, successfully completing all three attempts. She lifted 109kg, then 112kg, and finally 115kg — the same weight she had cleared at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago.
North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won gold with a 213kg total (91kg snatch + 122kg clean and jerk), setting new world records in both the total and clean and jerk. Thailand’s Thanyathon Sukcharoen claimed bronze with 198kg (88kg snatch + 110kg clean and jerk).
The 31-year-old Indian had earlier won gold in the 48kg category at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim and silver in the 49kg category in 2022 at Bogota.
India has sent a 14-member contingent to the World Weightlifting Championships, which will run until October 11. The event also serves as a qualifier for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
In the women’s section, besides Mirabai, Koyel Bar (53kg), Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam (58kg), Nirupama Devi Seram (63kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Vanshita Verma (86kg), and Mehak Sharma (86kg+) are in action. Bindyarani, Nirupama, and Mehak won silver, while Harjinder and Vanshita bagged bronze at the Commonwealth Championships in August.
India’s men’s contingent will be led by Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Lovepreet Singh. Earlier this year, Lovepreet also won bronze at the Commonwealth Championships, where Ajith Narayana and Ajaya Babu Valluri claimed gold.
