Mirabai Chanu wins third Commonwealth Games gold, credits success to family, coach

Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu credited her family and long-time coach Vijay Sharma after making history with a third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, saying years of sacrifice, injuries and mental challenges made the achievement even more special.

Chanu successfully defended her women’s 48kg title at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, completing a remarkable hat-trick of gold medals after her victories at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022. Her triumph also secured India’s first gold medal of the Glasgow Games.

Reflecting on her journey, the 31-year-old highlighted the unwavering support of her family, who stood by her through numerous setbacks and injuries.

“My family has supported me a lot till today. I have suffered many injuries, but my family supported me a lot,” she said.

Chanu also paid tribute to Sharma, who has played a key role in helping her maintain her consistency at the highest level for years.

“From the beginning, there are many things for which we need to work hard and stay focused, whether it is the Games or a championship, on how we have to perform and how to maintain that performance. Vijay sir has always supported me in all of this,” she said.

The Indian weightlifting star admitted she was overwhelmed by the significance of the moment, revealing that her focus was simply on executing the lift assigned to her rather than chasing a record.

“I am extremely happy and also very emotional. I made so many sacrifices and overcame stress and injuries to reach the Games and win a medal. I didn’t know I would set a Commonwealth record. I was only focused on completing the lift assigned by my coach,” she told ANI.

Chanu’s gold medal came with a commanding 22kg advantage over Nigeria’s Ruth Nyong, who finished second with a total of 168kg. The victory also made Chanu the first woman in Commonwealth Games history to win three weightlifting gold medals.