Mirabai Chanu competes in new 53kg category at World Championships

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is beginning her campaign in the women’s 53kg category at the IWF Senior Weightlifting World Championships in Ningbo, China. This marks a significant transition for the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, as her previous weight classes of 48kg and 49kg will not be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic programme.

Due to her entry total of 200kg, Chanu will compete in Group B, which is the first time since 2023 she has not been placed in Group A. Her compatriot Gyaneshwari Yadav will also compete in the 53kg category, placed in Group C with an entry total of 195kg.

Chief national coach Vijay Sharma stated that the primary objective for competing in this new category is to assess the level of competition as part of the Olympic qualification process. Chanu, who previously won the 48kg world title in 2017, enters the competition with an entry total five kilograms below her career best.