The 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, began with fireworks, world records, and a historic moment for India’s weightlifting icon Saikhom Mirabai Chanu.
Competing in the women’s 48kg category, the 30-year-old secured a silver medal with a total of 199kg (84kg snatch + 115kg clean & jerk), her third medal at the World Championships after gold in 2017 and silver in 2022.
For India, this was not just another podium finish—it marked Chanu’s enduring consistency on the world stage and her ability to bounce back after the heartbreak of missing out on a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics by just one kilogram.
North Korea’s Dominance and a New World Record
While Mirabai’s silver was a moment of pride for India, the spotlight of the 48kg final shone brightest on Ri Song Gum of North Korea. The 21-year-old delivered a record-shattering performance, lifting 91kg in snatch and a monumental 122kg in clean & jerk to amass a 213kg total, establishing four new world records in the process (C&J at 120kg and 122kg, total at 211kg and 213kg).
Ri’s dominance was absolute, but Mirabai ensured that India stayed in the frame with a strong second-place finish, holding off Thailand’s Thanyathon Sukcharoen, who totaled 198kg (88+110).
Mirabai’s Performance: Consistency and Redemption
Mirabai’s competition started with a steady 84kg snatch, which earned her a bronze medal in the lift despite two failed attempts at 87kg. It was an area where she knew she could not afford to give away too much ground, especially with Ri setting the pace early.
The clean and jerk segment, always Mirabai’s stronger suit, saw her rise to the occasion. After clearing 115kg, she secured the silver in C&J and crucially overtook Sukcharoen by a kilogram to claim overall second place. The lift was symbolic not just for the medal it sealed, but for the poetic justice it represented.
At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Mirabai had missed out on bronze to a Thai lifter by one kilogram. A year later, she flipped the script, defeating Thailand’s Sukcharoen by the same margin to stand on the Worlds podium once again. “These things matter,” one user of X later reflected. And indeed, for athletes who live and train for such fine margins, they do.
The 48kg competition in Forde lacked some of the traditional Chinese heavyweights. China’s leading lifters opted to skip the World Championships to prepare for the Chinese National Games, a tournament that holds immense prestige domestically. Mihaela Cambei Valentina of Romania and Surodchana Khambo of Thailand, both usually in the mix at 49kg, had also moved up to 53kg, narrowing the depth in 48kg.
China’s junior world record holder at 49kg, Xiang Linxiang, and last year’s silver medalist also did not feature, reducing the intensity of the field. Still, the presence of Ri Song Gum, Sukcharoen, and seasoned lifters from Cuba, Chinese Taipei, and the Philippines meant there was no room for error. Notably, Philippines’ Rosegie Ramos, a consistent performer in recent years, underperformed, failing to make a major impact.
Third World Championships Medal: A Rare Feat for India
By winning silver, Mirabai Chanu became only the third Indian weightlifter to win three or more medals at the World Championships, underlining her legendary status in the sport. For context, Indian weightlifting has often produced flashes of brilliance but rarely sustained podium finishes at the global level. Mirabai’s consistency across almost a decade is unprecedented.
Her medal tally at the Worlds now reads:
•🥇 2017 Anaheim (48kg) – Gold, her first women’s world title in weightlifting.
•🥈 2022 Bogotá (49kg) – Silver, a demonstration of her Olympic-level form.
•🥈 2025 Forde (48kg) – Silver, a statement of longevity and resilience.
Technical Breakdown: Mirabai’s 199kg
•Snatch: 84kg (3rd place, bronze in lift)
•Clean & Jerk: 115kg (2nd place, silver in lift)
•Total: 199kg (Silver overall)
This was a personal best for Mirabai in the 48kg class, surpassing her earlier 196kg mark (86+110). Even though she failed at higher snatch attempts, her progress in clean and jerk carried her through.
For Mirabai, this medal was about more than just another podium finish. It symbolized:
Redemption: Avenging the Paris 2024 near-miss by edging out a Thai rival by the same one kilogram margin.
Longevity: Competing at the top level across three Olympic cycles.
Pioneering Role: Inspiring a new generation of Indian lifters, especially women, who now see regular podium finishes at world events as achievable.
Mirabai will now turn her focus to the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 and Asian Games 2026. With China likely to reintroduce their full-strength squad soon, and North Korea back in the fold after years of sporadic appearances, the competition will only intensify.
For India, however, Mirabai’s success is both a reassurance and a challenge. While she continues to anchor the nation’s medal hopes, the pressing question is whether the next generation led by names like Bindyarani Devi can emulate her consistency on the world stage.
The opening day of the 2025 IWF World Championships provided weightlifting fans with a thrilling spectacle. World records from Ri Song Gum highlighted the sport’s evolution, while Mirabai Chanu’s silver medal reaffirmed her place among the greats of global weightlifting.
By becoming only the third Indian lifter with three or more World Championships medals, Mirabai not only etched her name deeper into the history books but also reminded the world why she remains India’s most iconic weightlifter.
As the tricolor rose in Forde and Chanu bowed to acknowledge the applause, it was clear: this was not just a medal, but another proud chapter in the saga of an athlete who has defined Indian weightlifting for an entire generation.
