Olympic silver medallist was set to make her debut in the 53kg category at the championships in Ningbo, China
India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has withdrawn from the ongoing IWF World Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Ningbo, China, due to a back issue.
The 32-year-old Manipuri lifter was scheduled to compete in the women’s 53kg category on Thursday but pulled out after experiencing back pain.
The championships were set to mark Chanu’s debut in the 53kg category as she begins her transition towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle. The 49kg category, in which she won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has been dropped from the Olympic programme for the 2028 Games.
Meanwhile, India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav finished eighth in the women’s 53kg event. The 23-year-old from Chhattisgarh lifted a total of 198kg, comprising 88kg in the snatch and 110kg in the clean and jerk, to top Group C.
China’s Zhang Haiqin won gold with a combined lift of 221kg (98kg+123kg). American Eleanor Ulrey claimed silver with 220kg, while North Korea’s So Hyon Kim took bronze with 214kg.
The World Championships are among the qualifying events in the first phase of the qualification system for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
