Mirabai Chanu Wins Gold at Commonwealth Games 2026, Completes Historic Hat-Trick

One failed lift. Then another.

For a few tense minutes, India’s biggest weightlifting star appeared to be under pressure. But Mirabai Chanu reset, returned to the platform and completed the lifts that mattered.

Her 190kg total won the women’s 48kg title, delivered India’s first gold medal of the competition and completed a remarkable journey that began with silver in the same city 12 years earlier.

At the Commonwealth Games 2026, she lifted 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk. She finished 22kg ahead of Nigeria’s Ruth Asuquo Nyong and became the first woman to win three Commonwealth Games weightlifting gold medals, according to the International Weightlifting Federation.

Mirabai won the women’s 48kg gold on July 26, 2026, with a combined lift of 190kg. She set a Commonwealth snatch record, added three Games records and opened India’s gold-medal account.

How Mirabai Chanu Won Gold at Commonwealth Games 2026

Mirabai opened the snatch at 82kg but lost control of her first attempt. She returned for the same weight and completed it on her second try. She then raised the bar to 85kg and finished the lift cleanly.

That effort gave her an eight-kilogram lead. Malaysia’s Irene Jane Henry recorded 77kg, while Nyong managed 75kg, as confirmed by the IWF event report.

The clean and jerk brought another tense moment. Mirabai entered at 105kg and missed her first attempt.

She returned, completed 105kg on her second attempt and took her total to 190kg. Nyong won silver with 168kg, while Henry claimed bronze with 167kg. Mirabai’s winning margin was 22kg.

Winning numbers

Source: International Weightlifting Federation.

What Records Did She Set?

The 85kg snatch established both a Commonwealth record and a Commonwealth Games record. Her 105kg clean and jerk and 190kg total also became Games records for the category.

Some readers may remember her lifting heavier totals earlier in her career. So how could 190kg become a record?

The answer lies in weight-category changes. The International Weightlifting Federation introduced revised divisions from June 1, 2025. The new women’s categories included 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg and above 86kg.

Records are maintained within the category system in use. The IWF announced the changes in December 2024.

For fans following cwg2026, the key point is simple: the 85kg snatch was the broader Commonwealth record, while all three figures counted as Games records.

Why Did She Skip Her Final Attempt?

This became the biggest question after the event.

Mirabai had secured gold with her second clean-and-jerk attempt. She could have returned for a heavier third lift, but declined it.

Coach Vijay Sharma told Moneycontrol that the decision was planned. This was not the competition where the team wanted to push her unnecessarily.

With the Asian Games scheduled for September, Sharma said the team did not want her to peak twice within roughly three months. His comments suggested that another heavy lift would add physical strain without changing the result.

An Asian Games medal remains missing from her collection. She has won at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, but has not yet reached the Asian Games podium. Her team wants her to arrive there fully prepared.

From 2014 Silver to a Golden Return

Mirabai first reached a Commonwealth Games podium in Glasgow in 2014. She entered her final clean-and-jerk attempt with a chance to overtake fellow Indian Sanjita Chanu, but missed 98kg and finished with silver.

Sanjita won gold, according to the IWF’s 2014 competition report.

Four years later, Mirabai won gold at Gold Coast 2018. She defended the title at Birmingham 2022 before returning to Scotland for the 2026 edition.

Her latest victory completed three consecutive gold-medal campaigns and took her overall Commonwealth Games tally to four medals from four appearances: one silver followed by three golds.

The city where she once missed gold by one final lift has now witnessed her become the first woman to win three Commonwealth Games weightlifting titles.

India’s Weightlifters Make an Early Impact

Mirabai’s result capped a strong opening day for India’s weightlifting team.

Rishikanta Chanambam won silver in the men’s 60kg category with a 264kg total. Raja Muthupandi added silver in the men’s 65kg event with 286kg. The IWF confirmed all three medals.

Para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar had already opened India’s overall medal account with bronze. After the July 26 results, India had one gold, two silver and one bronze.

That tally was only a snapshot because the Games were still underway. Still, three of India’s first four medals had come from weightlifting, showing the sport’s importance to the national campaign.

Her victory became one of India’s biggest early moments at cwg2026.

What Makes This Gold Different?

Mirabai has already proved herself on the biggest stages. She won Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020, became world champion in 2017 and finished fourth at Paris 2024.

She recovered after missing her opening snatch. She did the same after failing her first clean and jerk. Once the title was secure, she stopped rather than chase a number that would not change her medal.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 title therefore tells two stories. One is about an athlete who remains far ahead of most rivals. The other is about an experienced competitor who understands when to push and when to protect the bigger goal.

After the event, Mirabai said the third gold meant a great deal to her. She also indicated that she would try for a fourth title when India hosts the 2030 Commonwealth Games, according to the IWF.

Her return to Glasgow brought the story full circle. The city that introduced her to the Commonwealth stage has now watched her make history at the top.

Mirabai Chanu leaves Scotland with another gold medal, three new Games records and a clear message: she is still strong enough to dominate, but experienced enough to know that the next battle may matter even more.