India to host Asian Weightlifting C'ships after 44 years in April 2026

India will host the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in April 2026 at Ahmedabad, the Asian Weightlifting Federation announced on Tuesday.

Slated to be held from 1 April, 2026 to 10 April, 2026, it will mark the return of the continental competition to India after a gap of 44 years. India last hosted the event way back in 1982.

This will also mark the first edition of the Asian Championships under the newly introduced weight classes of the sport, which will come into action from June 2025.

The latest edition of the championships just finished earlier this month in Jiangshan, China, under the previous version of IWF weight classes, where a depleted two-member Indian team finished medal less.

Nirupama Dubey (64 Kg) had the best result for India in Jiangshan, finishing fourth with a 206kg total (91kg + 115kg). Meanwhile, Dilbag (96 Kg) finished ninth with a 339kg total (147kg + 192kg).

The Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu skipped the tournament as she is still recovering from an injury. She will be aiming to return to the continental meet in front of home fans in 2026, targeting a podium finish.

India last won a medal at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in 2023 when Bindyrani Devi clinched a silver medal in the women's 55 Kg category.