Mirabai Chanu to Compete in 53kg at World Weightlifting Championships

Mirabai Chanu, a World and Olympic medallist, is set to compete in the 53kg category at the World weightlifting championships in Ningbo, China, on Thursday. This follows her recent achievement of winning a silver medal in the 49kg category at the Asian Games.

The 32-year-old athlete has moved up to the 53kg weight class, which is now the minimum category for women at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Previously, she has primarily competed in the 48kg and 49kg categories, with one appearance in the 55kg class during the Singapore International meet in 2022.

For this championship, which serves as an Olympic qualifying event, Mirabai has registered a pre-competition total of 200kg and is placed in Group ‘B.’ The top competitors are in Group ‘A.’ According to chief national coach Vijay Sharma, Mirabai entered this competition to assess her performance, as she had limited time to prepare after the Asian Games. The focus will shift to Olympic preparation in March, with the aim of qualifying for the Olympics.