Mirabai Chanu Smashes Three National Records at Weightlifting Nationals with Historic 205 kg Total

Indian weightlifting legend Mirabai Chanu once again underlined why she remains the gold standard of the sport in the country, producing one of the finest performances of her career at the 2026 National Weightlifting Championships.

Competing in the women’s 48 kg category, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist lifted a massive total of 205 kg, rewriting all three national records in the process snatch, clean & jerk, and total.

Chanu’s extraordinary series read like a statement of intent. She opened with a snatch of 89 kg, a new National Record, displaying the trademark speed and precision that have made her one of the most technically sound lifters in the world. She even attempted 91 kg to push the benchmark further, narrowly missing out, but by then she had already sent a clear message to the field she was operating at an elite level rarely seen in Indian weightlifting.

In the clean & jerk, Chanu raised the bar yet again, lifting 116 kg to set another National Record. With that, her total climbed to 205 kg, eclipsing her previous best of 199 kg in the 48 kg class and equalling her personal best total from the 49 kg category achieved at the 2021 Asian Championships. Doing this while weighing a kilogram lighter only amplified the significance of the achievement.

What makes this performance even more remarkable is the scale of improvement it represents. At the 2025 World Championships, Chanu had lifted a total of 199 kg to win a silver medal. Less than a year later, she has added six kilos to that number an enormous leap at the elite level of weightlifting, where even one or two kilograms can separate podium finishers.

In a sport governed by marginal gains, a six-kilo jump is the equivalent of a major breakthrough. It highlights not just physical strength, but also technical refinement, injury management, and mental resilience areas where Chanu has consistently excelled through her long and demanding career.

With her lifts of 89 kg in snatch and 116 kg in clean & jerk, Chanu erased her own earlier national records in the 48 kg class. More importantly, the 205 kg total now stands as the benchmark for every Indian lifter in the category to chase. It is a figure that would be competitive not just domestically, but on the Asian and world stage as well.

The significance of this cannot be overstated for Indian weightlifting. Over the last decade, Chanu has been the face of the sport in the country, carrying Indian hopes across Olympic cycles. Performances like this ensure that India remains relevant in the most competitive weight categories, even as the global field continues to grow stronger.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Chanu’s achievement is the timing. At 31 years of age, she is not just holding on she is improving. Many lifters begin to plateau or decline in their early thirties, but Chanu is clearly moving in the opposite direction. Her ability to match her 49 kg personal best total of 205 kg while competing in the lighter 48 kg class is a testament to how finely tuned her preparation has become.

This performance suggests that Chanu is entering another peak phase of her career one built on experience, efficiency, and a deep understanding of her own body. The failed 91 kg snatch attempt also showed her ambition; she was not merely content with breaking records but was pushing the limits of what she could achieve on the day.

A signal for the road ahead

While this was a National Championships performance, its implications stretch far beyond the domestic circuit. With major international competitions and the road to Los Angeles 2028 gathering pace, Chanu’s 205 kg total positions her firmly among the world’s elite in the 48 kg category. It also gives India a proven, high-scoring lifter capable of challenging the strongest nations in Asia and beyond.

For Indian weightlifting, her showing is a boost to both confidence and credibility. Young lifters get a living example of what sustained excellence looks like, while selectors and coaches see tangible proof that their most experienced star is still evolving.

Mirabai Chanu has already secured her place in Indian sporting history, but nights like this remind everyone that her story is still being written. Three National Records in one competition, a personal best-equalling total, and a six-kilo improvement over her last world championship mark this was not just a win, it was a statement.

In the women’s 48 kg category, the bar has been raised, quite literally.

And once again, it is Mirabai Chanu who has lifted it there.