Forde (Norway), Oct 3 (IANS): Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu clinched the silver medal in the 49kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships, adding to her impressive collection of medals at the marquee event. This is her third World Championship medal and second silver.
Returning to competition after the Paris 2024 Olympics, Mirabai had already claimed gold in the 48kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in August. At Forde, she totaled 199kg—84kg in snatch and 115kg in clean and jerk.
Despite two failed attempts at 87kg and a shaky first lift at 84kg, Mirabai regained her rhythm in the clean and jerk, successfully completing all three attempts. She lifted 109kg, 112kg, and finally 115kg—the same weight she lifted at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago.
North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won gold with a 213kg total (91kg + 122kg), setting new world records in both total and clean and jerk. Thailand’s Thanyathon Sukcharoen took bronze with a 198kg total (88kg + 110kg).
Mirabai, 31, had previously won gold in the 48kg category at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim and silver in the 49kg category in 2022 in Bogota.
India has sent a 14-member contingent to the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships, which run until October 11. The event also serves as a qualifying platform 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 previously won silver at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, while Harjinder and Vanshita claimed bronze.
India’s men’s team will be led by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Lovepreet Singh, who also won bronze at the Commonwealth Championships earlier this year, alongside gold medallists Ajith Narayana and Ajaya Babu Valluri.
