Although the Los Angeles Olympics are not at the forefront of her plans, Tokyo Games silver medalist Mirabai Chanu will have to reorganize her game after the International Weightlifting Federation dropped her weight category from the 2028 Games.
In a brief statement on Monday, the International Weightlifting Federation said it had selected 12 weight classes, six of which were men and women, for the Los Angeles Games. The lowest category for women will now be 53kg, instead of 49kg at the Paris Olympics.
This is the second weight adjustment that Mirabai will have to make after the IBF recently changed the junior weight category for the World Championships to 48kg from 49kg. The last category has now been restored, and the International Weightlifting Federation said the new categories will come into effect from 1 August 2026.
Last month, Mirabai won the silver medal at the World Championships in the 48kg category by lifting a total of 199kg (84 in the snatch and 115 in the clean and jerk). This was her third World Championship medal.
Sources in Mirabai’s delegation said that the change in weight category may not immediately affect the weightlifter, given that her first priority is next year’s Asian Games. The Asiad team remains unaffected by the Olympic program, and Mirabai can continue to compete in the pet weight category.
“The Asian Games are the only major event where she has not won a medal, so the priority is to stay fit and compete there. Then, depending on how she feels physically, we will take a call on whether she will stay until the 2028 Olympics,” the source said.
However, it is believed that the weight change at the Olympics could be beneficial for India, as lifters who struggled to maintain their weight to compete in the 48/49kg categories will now have a chance to add muscle mass and challenge in the 53kg category.
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Furthermore, the current youth world record holder in the 53kg division is India’s Koel Parr, who lifted a total of 192kg at the Commonwealth Championships in August. “If we plan well and prepare our lifters, we can do well in this category. But this is something we will start looking at after the Asian Games, once we have a clear picture of the road ahead,” the source said.
© Indian Express Private Limited
(tags for translation) Mirabai Chanu
