Mirabai Chanu Withdraws from World Weightlifting Championships
India鈥檚 campaign at the 2026 IWF World Weightlifting Championships suffered a setback after star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu withdrew from the women鈥檚 53kg competition due to a back issue on Thursday, October 29, in Ningbo, China.
The former world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist was scheduled to compete in Group B but pulled out before taking the platform. The withdrawal also delayed her much-anticipated debut in the 53kg category, marking a new chapter in her international career.
Chanu had entered the competition with a declared total of 200kg. However, the back problem forced her to step away from the event, leaving India鈥檚 hopes in the category to rest on compatriot Gyaneshwari Yadav, who delivered a creditable performance to finish eighth overall.
Mirabai Chanu’s 53kg Debut Delayed
The 2026 World Championships were expected to mark Chanu鈥檚 first appearance in the 53kg category at the global event. Throughout most of her career, the Manipuri weightlifter competed in the 48kg and 49kg divisions.
The change came following the revision of Olympic weight categories for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. With the 49kg category no longer part of the Olympic programme, Chanu moved up to 53kg as she began preparing for the next Olympic cycle.
The 32-year-old had enjoyed a successful season, including a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games. Her withdrawal in Ningbo, therefore, came at an important stage of her transition to the new weight category.
She was placed in Group B with an entry total of 200kg, but the back issue prevented her from competing. Her immediate return to competition and the extent of the problem were not confirmed in the initial reports.
Gyaneshwari Yadav Finishes Eighth with 198kg
While Chanu missed out, Gyaneshwari Yadav gave India a competitive result in the women鈥檚 53kg category. The 23-year-old from Chhattisgarh finished eighth overall with a combined lift of 198kg.
Gyaneshwari registered 88kg in the snatch and followed it with 110kg in the clean and jerk. Her total placed her at the top of Group C and ahead of several competitors from Groups A and B.
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist could have improved her overall position had she converted two missed attempts, one in the snatch and another in the clean and jerk. She also came close to surpassing her personal best of 199kg.
Gyaneshwari, who had previously won silver in the 53kg category at the Asian Championships, continued to demonstrate her ability to compete at the international level.
Zhang Haiqin Wins World Title with 221kg
China鈥檚 Zhang Haiqin claimed the women鈥檚 53kg world title with a combined total of 221kg. She recorded 98kg in the snatch and 123kg in the clean and jerk to secure gold on home soil.
American weightlifter Eleanor Ulrey finished second with 220kg, comprising 98kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea鈥檚 So Hyon Kim secured the bronze medal with a total of 214kg, lifting 91kg in the snatch and 123kg in the clean and jerk.
The competition also highlighted the growing standard in the snatch discipline, with seven lifters managing lifts of 90kg or more. Reaching that mark consistently has been a challenge for Chanu over the past several years.
World Championships Important for LA 2028 Qualification
The 2026 IWF World Weightlifting Championships form part of the first phase of the Olympic qualification system for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
The championships are among the designated qualification events through which weightlifters can begin accumulating opportunities towards the next Olympic cycle.
For Chanu, the immediate priority will be managing her back issue before returning to competition in the 53kg division. Meanwhile, Gyaneshwari鈥檚 eighth-place finish and 198kg total offered India another useful performance at the global championships.
The withdrawal was an unfortunate interruption to Chanu鈥檚 new weight-category campaign, but her transition to 53kg remains an important part of India’s preparations for the LA 2028 Olympics.
