Commonwealth Weightlifting C'ships: Mirabai Chanu returns after a year - Preview

After more than a year away from competitive lifting, India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is set to make her much-awaited comeback at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025, beginning in Ahmedabad on Monday.

The 31-year-old Manipuri, who narrowly missed out on a podium at the Paris 2024 Olympics by a single kilogram, will once again be the centre of attention. This marks her first major event since the International Weightlifting Federation restructured weight categories, with Chanu now competing in the 48kg division instead of 49kg.

Despite entering with a modest total of 192kg - seven kilos below her Paris performance - Chanu is strongly tipped to secure gold and seal her berth for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. However, her primary targets remain the World Championships later this year and the 2026 Asian Games, where she still chases a maiden medal.

India has traditionally excelled at the Commonwealth stage, collecting 20 medals when the event was last hosted at home in 2023. This year too, the 16-member senior squad looks strong, with names like Bindyarani Devi (58kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Ajay Singh (88kg) and N. Ajith (71kg) leading medal hopes.

The tournament, being held at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, features 290 lifters from 28 nations across senior, junior, and youth divisions. Global stars such as Maude Charron (Canada), Aniq Kasdan and Aznil Bidin (Malaysia), Rafiatu Lawal (Nigeria), and Eileen Cikamatana (Australia) will add to the international flavour.

Tournament background

Restricted to athletes from Commonwealth nations, the event serves as both a standalone championship and a direct qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Winners in each senior weight category will automatically book their place at the multi-sport extravaganza.

The 2025 edition marks the 30th chapter of the tournament, which has been held regularly in non-Commonwealth Games years since its inception in 1980. India has hosted the Championships twice before - in Pune (2015) and Greater Noida (2023).

Mirabai Chanu herself has a strong history at the event, having clinched gold medals in 2013, 2017, and 2019, along with a silver in 2015. This time, she will spearhead India’s 16-member senior squad, evenly split between men and women, with four additional reserves.

Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025: India squad

Men: Chanambam Rishikanta Singh (60kg), Muthupandi Raja (65kg), Narayana Ajith (71kg), Valluri Ajaya Babu (79kg), Achinta Sheuli (79kg, reserve), Ajay Singh (88kg), Dilbag Singh (94kg), Harcharan Singh (110kg), Lovepreet Singh (110kg+).

Women: Mirabai Chanu (48kg), Sneha Soren (53kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg, reserve), Bindyarani Devi (58kg), Rima Bhoi (58kg, reserve), Seram Nirupama Devi (63kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Sanapathi Pallavi (69kg, reserve), Harmanpreet Kaur (77kg), Vanshita Verma (86kg), Mehak Sharma (86kg+).

Where to watch?

Fans can catch all the action live:

Live Streaming: Available on Prasar Bharati’s YouTube channel

Telecast: Matches will also be shown on Doordarshan Sports (DD Sports) TV channel