New Delhi [India], August 3 : Olympic medalist and recently crowned Commonwealth Games gold medalist Mirabai Chanu expressed thrill at having achieved a hat-trick of gold medals in the CWG, recalling the difficulties she faced leading up to the tournament, ranging from injuries to weight management.
Chanu solidified her legacy as one of India's all-time great weightlifters with her third CWG gold at Glasgow in the 48 kg, after gold medals in 48 kg in the 2018 edition and 49 kg in the 2022 edition at Birmingham. Along with an Olympic silver medal in 49 kg, three World Championship medals including a gold in the 2017 edition and an Asian Championship bronze, Mirabai's resume is that of an undisputed legend in the sport, and an Asian Games medal would complete her medal cabinet, with a medal won at each major multi-sport/weighlifting event.
Speaking to ANI, Mirabai said that leading upto CWG 2026, she faced a lot of issues due to injuries, weight management and training and having overcome all these odds placed against her is a massive accomplishment.
"I am thrilled with this third gold medal at the Commonwealth Games; I faced many challenges, ranging from physical issues and training hurdles to injuries. I was under immense pressure due to my body weight; competing in the 48kg category is extremely difficult, and managing the weight while training is a huge challenge. But this is a part of our life, and I faced it. Having faced all of that and brought home a gold medal for India feels like a massive accomplishment. I will certainly put in my best effort for the Asian Games," she said.
On meeting and being felicitated by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the athlete said, "Whether we win a medal or not, the welcome we receive upon returning to India is wonderful; we are honored and treated so well. It feels like a huge achievement for us. I am really happy. I had thought right from the beginning that I wanted to make the best of this opportunity during this CWG, because you do not know what could happen leading up to the next CWG."
The 2026 Games were hosted under a compact format, leading to the removal of major Indian medal-earning events like shooting, wrestling, and badminton.
India finished fourth in the medals table at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze. India officially began its journey towards hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Amdavad as the Commonwealth Games Flag was ceremonially handed over during a spectacular Closing Ceremony that celebrated the conclusion of Glasgow 2026 and looked ahead to the historic centenary edition of the Games.
The symbolic moment marked the return of the Commonwealth Games to India after the 2010 edition (in New Delhi) and to Gujarat for the very first time. More importantly, it signalled the beginning of a new chapter for Indian sport as the nation prepares to welcome athletes from across the Commonwealth for the landmark 2030 edition.
With the ceremonial handover to India complete for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aims to restore traditional disciplines while building world-class infrastructure to ensure a record-breaking medal haul.