Saikhom Mirabai Chanu: The Golden Girl from Manipur

Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu created history at the Common Wealth games on 26th July 2026 by becoming the first women weightlifter to win three consecutive gold medals. Mirabai Chanu backed up her gold medals from Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 with another record-breaking effort in the 48 kg category.

 The 31-year-old weightlifter claimed the gold at Glasgow 2026 with a total lift of 190 kg with a new games record of 85 kg in snatch and 105 kg in clean and jerk to bag the gold. Mirabai Chanu’s impressive CWG tally rose to four medals – a silver in 2014 Glasgow along with three golds in 2018, 2022 and 2026. She has been a consistent performer for India at all international events, securing major honours. 

Let’s take a look at her humble beginnings, her medals tally, records and individual honours and what lies ahead for India’s golden girl – 

Humble Beginnings

Mirabai Chanu comes from a humble background in Manipur. Her father Saikhom Kriti Meitei was a construction worker while her mother Saikhom Tombi Devi ran a small tea shop to manage a family with six children. To help her family, a 12-year-old Mirabai Chanu used to lift heavy bundles of firewood that even her older brothers found difficult to lift and this was the point where her talents became obvious. Her initial training began at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal. She trained under former Indian weightlifter Anita Chanu who represented India in the 1990 Asian Games. Mirabai Chanu had to travel 40 kms everyday using local buses and hitchhiking to reach her destination. Lacking proper infrastructure, she initially practiced her lifting techniques using bamboo trunks and later switched to barbells and conventional weights. 

At just 14-years-old, Mirabai Chanu competed at the sub-junior category and clinched gold at state level. She won her first national medal in 2011 in the junior’s category. 

The Manipuri weightlifter participated in her first senior event at the 2013 Commonwealth World Championships in the 48 kg category. Her debut Olympics was the 2016 Summer Olympics where she participated but failed to rank as she failed to mark a single attempt in the clean and jerk. But champions are made of sterner stuff and the comeback is always greater than the setback. 

Several medals later and having won numerous major honours, Mirabai Chanu is indeed one of India’s greatest athletes and a massive inspiration for so many budding sportspersons coming from humble backgrounds yet dreaming of making a mark at international level. 

Medals Tally, Records and Individual Honours

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has represented India at prestigious international tournaments and won laurels for the nation. Her first medal came at the 2013 Commonwealth World Championships in Penang where she won the gold medal in the 48 kg category. 

Below are her podium finishes, records and individual honours – 

Major medals –

• 2013 Commonwealth World Championships – Gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

• 2014 Commonwealth games –  Silver medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

• 2017 World Weightlifting Championships – Gold Medal in the Women’s 48 kg category.

• 2018 Commonwealth Games  – Gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

• 2020 Summer Olympics – Silver medal in the women’s 49 kg category.

• 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships – Bronze medal in the women’s 49 kg category.

• 2022 Commonwealth Games  – Gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

• 2022 World Weightlifting Championships – Silver medal in the women’s 49 kg category.

• 2025 World Weightlifting Championships – Silver medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

• 2026 Commonwealth Games  – Gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category.

Records –

• National record for total lift in 48 kg category – 205 kg (89 kg+116 kg)

• National record for snatch in 48 kg category – 89 kg

• National record for clean and jerk in 48 kg category – 116 kg

• Commonwealth games record for total lift in 48 kg category – 190 kg

• Commonwealth games record for snatch in 48 kg category – 85 kg

• First women weightlifter in Commonwealth games history to win three consecutive gold medals.

Individual honours –

• India’s highest sporting honour – Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2018

• India’s fourth highest civilian honour – Padma Shri in 2018

What lies ahead for India’s golden girl

Mirabai Chanu has already medalled at most major international events and doesn’t really have anything left to prove. However, she has set her sights on one particular competition where a podium finish has evaded her until now – the Asian Games. Returning from injuries is never easy and for the past one year she had been dealing with back and wrist injuries but it is the mark of a true champion to convert setbacks into comebacks and perform when the stakes are high. She clinched the gold at the Commonwealth games to prove to her doubters that she isn’t done yet. 

Speaking before the CWG 2026 event, Mirabai Chanu mentioned that her focus was on the Asian Games and she wouldn’t put too much pressure on herself. However, she still managed to bag the gold easily while breaking records. Looking ahead to the Asian Games, the 31-year-old has been managing her intensity, training and recovery to grab an elusive podium finish. She finished ninth on her debut in Incheon 2014, missed the 2018 edition due to injury and finished a close fourth in Hangzhou 2023. She would also have the 2028 Olympics on her mind and qualification for that would be of high priority. With the 49 kg weight category being removed, Mirabai Chanu will have a monumental task on her hands to push her weight category up and compete in the 53 kg category. She would also be 33-years-old by the time the 2028  LA Olympics arrives, so it would be extremely difficult to clinch her second Olympic medal but knowing her, we have no doubt that she would be up for the challenge.

Whatever happens at the upcoming tournaments, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has already written her name into Indian weightlifting folklore. She has not only inspired an entire generation of young girls to take up the sport but also taught us all a life lesson that nothing is impossible if we dare to dream and work towards our goals tirelessly even if the odds are stacked against us.  Her success story proves that great champions are made from hard work, resilience and relentless determination and they can come from the most unexpected of places.