Mirabai Chanu, former World Champion and Olympic silver medallist, is back on the grand stage. After the 2024 Paris Olympics heartbreak, where she narrowly missed a medal and finished fourth in the 49kg category, Mira has now made a triumphant return at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Ahmedabad. In her first international competition in the 48kg category, she won gold and set records in the snatch, clean and jerk and total. The category change was prompted after the International Weightlifting Federation discontinued the 49kg category where Mira dominated.
In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, Mira and her coach Vijay Sharma spoke about the decision behind picking the 48kg category, her recovery from injury, her mindset after Paris and the road ahead, including the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the World Championships.
First competition after the Paris Olympics heartbreak and competing in a new weight category. Tell us about the journey?
Mira: This is my first international competition in the 48kg category, and also my first since the Paris Olympics. I’m really happy with the performance, and the aim is to deliver the same kind of results I had in the 49kg category. The main challenge has been managing my weight. Earlier, in the 49kg category, I would train while keeping my weight about 1.5kgs higher. Now I have to make sure I’m training while staying around 49.5kgs, which takes more effort and awareness. That’s the only real difference, but it is tough.
What went into your decision to compete in the 48kg category instead of the 53kg category?
Mira: It was more or less decided. But we would have never gone up, so it was always kind of agreed upon that if we change the category, it would be the 48kg category. And when it finally happened, I tried my best to do well.
What is the status of your injury? Are you finally injury-free?
Mira: Yes, I am injury-free. But there is still an issue with my wrist. I have completely recovered from the injury I sustained at the Asian Games and while my wrist does flare up, it is something that might come and go. But yes, I am injury-free.
The only medal missing in your cabinet is the Asian Games medal. What is your mindset when it comes to the 2026 Asian Games?
Mira: My focus is on the Asian Games. I’ve won every other medal, but not this one and that’s why I’m determined to give it my all next year.
The World Weightlifting Championship is around the corner. How are you preparing for it?
Mira: I haven’t been majorly focusing on the Championship because we’re not sure about who else will compete in the category. In the 49kg category, we would know exactly who we were up against. The Championship gives us an opportunity to test our opponents, and we’ll try our best to medal again.
As Mira’s coach, what went into the decision of the weight category change?
Vijay Sharma: When it comes to the category, we had a lot of time to think about the change. I just had a feeling that 48kg would be better for the Asian Games instead of 53kg, since that is our main focus for now. So we’ve decided that we will continue to compete in the 48kg category till the Asian Games. I think we can win a medal at the Asian Games in the 48kg category. We’ll also soon find out whether Mira’s competitors have changed their categories to 48kg too at the World Weightlifting Championship.
How is she doing with her injuries? Can she compete till the Asian Games?
Sharma: 100 per cent. I don’t see any issues when it comes to her injuries.
How difficult was it, mentally, to come back from missing a medal at the Paris Olympics? How did you encourage and inspire Mira?
Sharma: There is no difficulty in coming back. We’ve fallen so many times, been slapped with failures so many times that nowwe’re used to it. The main thing is Mira is more motivated than me. We had decided way before the Olympics that we would give it our all, no matter what, till the 2026 Asian Games because we don’t have an Asian Games medal. We’re not thinking about the 2028 LA Olympics, but if she does well at the Asian Games, we will go all out again. But, for now, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games are the focus.
You were struggling after the Paris heartbreak. You were down and out. Tell us about that?
Sharma: When you work so hard for something and don’t get the desired results, you are bound to get heartbroken. Falling and then getting back up is a human being’s duty. We have a bird’s eye focus at the Asian Games.
Is there any other talent cropping up apart from Mira?
Sharma: Payal lifted 166kg (73kg snatch + 93kg clean and jerk) in the youth women’s 48kg and set a Commonwealth youth record in all three categories. We have immense second-line talent. We have to get them ready for the upcoming competitions. We will get them ready for the 2030 Asian Games. When it comes to the 2028 LA Olympics, it’s a bit too early for them.
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