Mirabai Chanu won – that’s not the story

At 31, Mirabai is no longer just India’s premier weightlifter; she is helping shape the next generation. 2 min readJul 28, 2026 06:15 AM IST First published on: Jul 28, 2026 at 06:15 AM IST Mirabai Chanu’s fourth successive Commonwealth Games medal — a third straight gold — was never meant to be the story. It was expected. For more than a decade, Mirabai has turned one of sport’s most unpredictable pursuits into an exercise in reliability. Weightlifting is unforgiving. Bodies wear down, injuries linger, younger challengers emerge and a single missed lift can undo years of preparation. Yet, for the last decade, India has simply pencilled in Mirabai’s name under the gold-medal column at the CWG. That level of sustained excellence deserves greater appreciation than the medal itself. At 31, Mi