Norway, 2 October (H.S.): Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu is leading the 14-member Indian contingent at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships, which began on October 2 in Førde, Norway, and will continue until October 11.

Returning to international competition after the Paris 2024 Olympics and a gold-winning performance at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in August, Chanu carries India's hopes in the newly configured 48kg weight category, having moved down from the 49kg division to align with the new Olympic weight classes set for the 2028 cycle.

The Indian team comprises both women and men lifters across various new weight divisions, with other notable female athletes including Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam, Nirupama Devi Seram, Harjinder Kaur, Vanshita Verma, and Mehak Sharma, all bringing a mix of experience and Commonwealth medals to the competition.

The men’s squad features lifters such as Lovepreet Singh, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, alongside Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, Muthupandi Raja, and others.

The 2025 Championship marks the start of the qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and introduces a revamped weight class system, compressing categories and intensifying the competition.

For Mirabai Chanu, who also won gold in the 48kg category at the 2017 World Championships and silver in the 49kg in 2022, the challenge is to exceed the 200kg total lift mark to contend for medals at this global event.

India’s strategic focus at these Championships is to establish benchmarks across the new categories and gather valuable experience amid stiff competition from international athletes in the newly adjusted classes. The event schedule includes several key lifts each day, with Mirabai Chanu’s 48kg competition starting on October 2 at 11:00 PM IST.The World Weightlifting Championships 2025 is a crucial milestone for Indian weightlifting, as the team aims to build toward strong performances and Olympic qualification in the coming years.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar