After 28 years, Mirabai Chanu finally puts India back on Asian Games weightlifting podium
Mirabai Chanu secured a silver medal in weightlifting at the Asian Games, marking India's first medal in the sport at the event in 28 years. The article recounts the historical struggles and near-misses of the Indian weightlifting team leading up to this achievement.
Why it matters
This victory represents a significant milestone for Indian sports history, ending nearly three decades of drought in a major international competition.
NEW DELHI: For 28 years, Indian weightlifting waited for this moment. There were new lifters, big names, and fresh hopes of returning to the Asian Games podium. But the medal remained out of reach.On Wednesday, Mirabai Chanu finally ended the wait.With India's hopes resting on her shoulders, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist lifted 198kg to win silver in the women's 49kg event at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.It was India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since Karnam Malleswari won silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games.The wait of 28 yearsIndia's last Asian Games weightlifting medal came in 1998, when Malleswari won silver in Bangkok. India did not win a weightlifting medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan. The 2006 Asian Games in Doha brought another setback. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) suspended the Indian Weightlifting Federation following multiple positive doping tests.
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