Olympics 2028: Will Mirabai shift to 53-kg category in Los Angeles?

World and Olympic medal-winning weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is expected to move up to the 53kg weight category following the 2026 Asian Games. The switch comes after the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) recently revised the weight divisions for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, making 53kg the lowest class for women lifters.

 

The IWF’s decision means Mirabai, who has been competing in lower weight categories for most of her career, will need to adapt if she wants to continue her Olympic journey.

 

From 49kg Success to 48kg Dominance

 

Mirabai, who claimed a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and finished fourth in Paris 2024 in the 49kg class, had earlier dropped to 48kg this season. Her performance in the lighter category was remarkable, winning gold at the Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad and silver at the World Championships in Forde, Norway.

 

However, with the IWF now scrapping the 49kg class entirely, the Indian champion will have to move to a higher weight bracket to stay in contention for Olympic qualification. 

 

53kg Move Seen as Advantageous

 

According to her coach, Vijay Sharma, the jump to 53kg may actually work in Mirabai’s favor. “She naturally maintains around 51kg, so cutting down further to 48kg has been a struggle,” Sharma explained. “Moving up will make training easier and improve her chances of qualifying for the Olympics.”

 

At 31, Mirabai’s experience and strength could help her adjust smoothly to the higher weight, avoiding the stress of constant weight reduction.

 

Past Experiments and Future Focus

 

This won’t be Mirabai’s first time competing in a heavier category, she had participated in the 55kg division at a Singapore international event in 2022 to test her snatch technique before the Commonwealth Games.

 

For now, her immediate goal remains the 2026 Asian Games, where she aims to complete a hat-trick of Commonwealth-level titles before making the strategic move to 53kg.