On Monday, while the Indian team celebrated their gold medal achievements at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, particularly due to an impressive performance by the boxers, a notable shift occurred in the world of weightlifting. Effective August 1, new Olympic weight categories have been implemented, signaling the end of the familiar sight of Mirabai Chanu competing in the 48-49kg class.
Event Context
The upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will showcase six weight categories for both men and women. The new men’s divisions will include 65kg, 75kg, 85kg, 95kg, 110kg, and +110kg. For women, the categories are set at 53kg, 61kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, and +86kg. Notably, the women’s 53kg event last appeared at the Olympics during the Rio Games in 2016.
Gyaneshwari is well-positioned in the 53kg category, her natural weight class. The 23-year-old from Chhattisgarh has previously earned a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Championships, solidifying her strength in this division. She won’t need to adjust her weight significantly to qualify. In contrast, fellow competitor Bindiyarani, who usually competes in the 55kg and 58kg weight classes, will need to lose 6-7kg to qualify for the 53kg event.
Sharma, her coach, noted, “Mira has been competing in the 48kg or 49kg for 12-13 years now, and we felt it was necessary for her to shift to a higher weight class. I don’t anticipate she’ll face many difficulties moving up to 53kg; in fact, it might give her an edge.” Mirabai, who maintains a weight of 50.5kg, experienced difficulties making weight at the Glasgow competition, where she competed in the 48kg category.
In preparation for her event, she subsisted on just one meal daily for two days, often having cornflakes and eggs for breakfast, then skipping most of her meals. “The day before my lift, I even reduced my water intake,” she recalled. This rigorous routine led her to drop to 49.500kg and then, in a challenging final push, she trained on an empty stomach and refrained from drinking water. By weigh-in, she had reached an exhausted 47.500kg.
“After we weigh in, there’s little time for refueling. Between warm-ups, she has about an hour to eat something. Typically, she’ll grab a banana or a small boiled potato for quick energy, and we also provide her with honey for fast recovery. It’s crucial not to overeat right before lifting,” Sharma explained.
This ordeal, while challenging, is a common aspect of the sport that lifters accept. Sivalingam highlighted the competitive landscape they’ll face, stating, “Keep in mind that the Chinese and Korean competitors tend to excel as the weight category increases. She will need to participate in various Asian and World Championships to secure her place, which will be a tough journey.”
At home, a revitalized Mirabai will contend with younger competitors. Gyaneshwari is consistently climbing the ranks, while Bindiyarani faces her own challenges. Sathish remarked, “I wasn’t particularly impressed with Bindiya’s total at the CWG (199kg), which is not outstanding for the 58kg division. She’ll need to lift similar weights, if not slightly more, with less muscle mass in the 53kg class, which will be quite demanding.”
Player Focus
“The risk of injury increases significantly when athletes push their bodies to extreme levels. I’m pleased for Mira; she will be in a stronger mental and physical state in Los Angeles,” said Sathish Sivalingam, a former two-time Commonwealth Games medalist now coaching.
“Considering her training experience and the intensity her muscles have endured over the last 15 years, she should adapt quickly, although she’ll need to lift 200kg more frequently,” he added.
Mirabai’s training regimen will undergo evaluation in collaboration with strength training specialists. Sharma anticipates it will take about 6 to 8 months for the 31-year-old to reach the target muscle mass.
“We plan to begin her bulking phase after the Asian Games. There’s a scientific approach to this, and we aim to achieve the desired weight within 6 to 8 months following the Asiad,” Sharma explained. However, unlike the 49kg category, where her qualification for the Tokyo and Paris Olympics was assured, securing a spot in the 53kg category for LA will push Mirabai to her limits.
Match Outlook
In less than two months, Mirabai Chanu aims to secure her first Asian Games medal in Japan in the 49kg weight category. Following this competition, she plans to compete in the 53kg category, where she will encounter Gyaneshwari Yadav. Yadav recently achieved a national record lift of 199kg to win silver in Glasgow. Also joining them is Bindiyarani Devi, who will transition down from the 58kg category, where she earned a bronze medal with a lift of 199kg at the Commonwealth Games.
While Bindiyarani has the option to move up to the 61kg category, national coach Vijay Sharma believes it is more advantageous for her to drop to 53kg.
“Ideally, we should have a pool of 5-6 lifters in each weight class to maintain competitive pressure, but currently, we will see Mira, Gyaneshwari, and Bindiyarani competing against each other in the 53kg category,” Sharma stated.
