New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) Olympic silver medallist and Commonwealth Games champion Mirabai Chanu believes India’s continued investment in sports infrastructure and athlete support will help the country win even more medals on the global stage, as she welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise following her historic third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold.
Mirabai returned from Glasgow after creating history by winning the women’s 48kg title at the Commonwealth Games 2026. The Manipuri weightlifter not only completed a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games gold medals but also broke the Games and Commonwealth snatch records with an 85kg lift.
PM Modi earlier congratulated the star weightlifter on social media, calling her latest triumph “another glorious chapter in Indian Weightlifting” and lauding her consistency at the Commonwealth Games.
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s message and the transformation in Indian sports over the years, Mirabai credited the government’s growing support for athletes while stressing the importance of sustaining the momentum.
“Now a lot of changes have taken place across India. The government is providing great support to promote sports, which is a big thing for players. If they continue supporting every sport like this, providing proper training centers in different locations, enabling us to train abroad when preparing for big games or championships, these facilities are extremely beneficial for us,” she told IANS in an exclusive interview.
“If they keep supporting every player and every sport like this, whether they are young, medal winners, or those who haven’t won a medal yet, the young generation will surely produce many great athletes and win more medals. If this support continues, I feel we will bring home even more medals than we have now,” She added.
Mirabai, India’s first gold medallist at the Glasgow Games, overcame an early setback in the snatch before rewriting the record books. After failing with her opening attempt at 82kg, she successfully lifted the weight on her second try before clearing 85kg to establish new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch.
She then secured the gold with a successful 105kg clean and jerk, sealing victory well before the competition concluded.
Looking ahead, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist said her attention has already shifted towards the next major challenge, which is the Asian Games.
“Asian Games will be very crucial for me, and I am ready to win my first gold there. I am continuing my preparation and not doing anything extra to maintain the rhythm,” she said.
Mirabai’s latest triumph adds to an illustrious Commonwealth Games career that includes gold medals at Gold Coast 2018, Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2026, reaffirming her status as one of India’s greatest weightlifters.
–IANS
sds/