From Glasgow to Nagoya: Chanu’s Road to Asian Games Glory

Mirabai Chanu, the 31‑year‑old Indian weightlifting champion, has moved from Glasgow’s training halls to the upcoming Aichi‑Nagoya Asian Games venue. The Asian Games will be contested from 19 September to 4 October 2026 in Japan.

The Manipur‑born athlete, fresh from a Commonwealth Games gold‑medal hat‑trick, was observed executing lift drills in Scotland, a clear indication that the Asian Games are now her priority. Her Commonwealth résumé includes a silver in 2014 and gold medals in 2018, 2022 and the most recent edition.

At the latest Commonwealth meet, Chanu’s first 82 kg snatch attempt failed, yet she recovered with a successful second lift and subsequently set a new Games snatch record at 85 kg. A similar narrative unfolded in the clean and jerk: after a missed opening, she secured gold with a 105 kg lift.

The Asian Games remain her next challenge. At the 2022 Hangzhou Games, she recorded a fourth‑place finish in the 49 kg class with a 191 kg total (83 kg snatch, 108 kg clean and jerk) before a thigh injury halted a 117 kg attempt. The injury has healed, and Chanu is now fully fit for the Asian stage.