Mirabai Chanu wins Asian Games 49kg silver for India

Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, lifting a total of 198kg to claim her first Asian Games medal and end India's 28-year wait for a weightlifting podium finish at the continental event. The Indian lifter opened with an 83kg snatch, moved up to 85kg and then 87kg to complete all three attempts in the first phase, before following a 107kg opener in the clean and jerk with a successful 111kg lift that secured second place. Ri Song Gum of North Korea took gold with a total of 215kg, comprising 94kg in the snatch and 121kg in the clean and jerk, completing a hat-trick of Asian Games titles. Indonesia's Wijayana Luluk Diana Tri finished third with 191kg, lifting 88kg in the snatch and 103kg in the clean and jerk. Chanu's silver was India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since Karnam Malleswari won silver in Bangkok in 1998, a gap of 28 years. At 32, Chanu was the oldest of the seven lifters in the field, and the medal completed her collection across the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. The result capped a long and difficult history at the Games.