Boria Majumdar
It’s been a nightmarish couple of years for Mirabai Chanu, India’s greatest-ever weightlifter. Going into the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 as the Olympic silver medallist, she watched her medal hopes disappear because of a hip injury. A year later in Paris, her failure to lift more than 111kg in the Clean & Jerk allowed Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao to beat her to the bronze by 1kg. Given that she was 30 then, it was easy to write her off. But at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships in Førde, Norway, Mirabai stormed back to take silver behind North Korea’s Ri Song-gum. In this exclusive interview with Boria Majumdar, RevSportz’s editor-in-chief, she spoke of the pain-filled road back, the influence of her coach, and what lies ahead.
Boria: Congratulations. World Championship silver medal. Your first thoughts on this and the competition?
Mirabai Chanu: First of all, Namaste everyone. And yes, I am very happy to get my third world level medal. It was very tough being my first time in the 48 kg category. Keeping the weight in control, giving the best effort my side, with little information on participants I will be competing against, was tough so I am happy with my performance and to win it.
Boria: It is very difficult to reduce weight and manage it. How difficult was it for you?
Mirabai: It’s very difficult. To keep the weight in control within 50kg. Yes, but that’s how life is, where changes can come any moment. So I keep the mind strong and followed whatever diet I was suggested, avoided the food I was asked to, to stay in the 49 kg category. Only an athlete who has done something similar and maintained weight at a definite mark will know how difficult it is.
Boria: Last two years have been very difficult with repeated injuries, so tell us a bit about that journey to winning the medal now.
Mirabai: Whatever happened at the Asian Games (2023, Hangzhou) was very unfortunate. Then participating in Olympics while recovering, tolerating all the pain every time I tried gaining weight was very tough again. Even with injury, I tried giving my best at the Olympics (Paris 2024), but you know things are not in control and there is a fear in the mind what if I worsen my injury trying to perform. So right from Asian Games till Paris Olympics, it was a very tough phase for me. Couldn’t train properly before Olympics because of extreme pain, but after overcoming with so much difficulty, I am very happy to win this time. Every athlete has luck of their own, and I am happy that the silver was in my luck [destiny] this time after facing so much difficulty in the last two years.
Boria: Are you still managing or are you now totally injury-free?
Mirabai: The hip-joint injury from the Asian Games is totally fine now, just that there is a very old wrist pain that has relapsed. That is giving me some trouble for a month now, when I take too much load. I will give the wrist some rest for a few days.
Boria: What are you thinking about next year’s Asian Games in Japan? It’s the only championship where you haven’t won a medal yet. What are your plans?
Mirabai: I’m totally confident that this time I’ll do something for India. Will go in with a lot of preparation and and put hundred percent effort. I don’t want to miss the chance and and would like to put up a fight from my side.
Boria: Can we expect you in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics ?
Mirabai: Of course. I would want that, but cannot tell that for sure. My first focus would be Asian Games for now and after that, we’ll see how the body reacts and decide depending upon that.
Boria: Tell us a bit about Vijay Sharma.
Mirabai: I would like to tell the truth – that whatever change has come in my life, including achieving the things I want, excelling in my performance and everything else, is all because of Sir (Vijay Sharma). I’m working with him and under his guidance from 2014, and he has guided me overall on what not to do. Everything has been done by him, so I would say every player would want a guru like him. I’m very lucky to have him as my coach. No matter how good I perform, he always gives me the enthusiasm to do better than that, and when there is a bad performance, he tries to calm me down, make me feel relaxed and do the training going forward. He keeps motivating me all the time on even the smallest of things. This is what we as athletes ideally would want. Sometimes when I do not perform well, he is there to tell me that it is the reality of life. This is something I really like about him, and until today I have not seen a guru like him. I want to thank him for being there for me always.
Boria: Very proud of you. All the very best for everything ahead.
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Watch the interview here
🚨 EXCLUSIVE
Mirabai Chanu wins a Silver at the World Weightlifting with a stunning a total lift of 199kg!
In conversation with @BoriaMajumdar, Mira talks about preparation and her goals ahead. @mirabai_chanu pic.twitter.com/XImXzGe7Ys
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 4, 2025