'We will give our all': Mirabai Chanu backs India's weightlifting team before Commonwealth Games

Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu has urged India's weightlifting contingent to remain composed as they prepare for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, saying handling pressure will be key to delivering strong performances.

The weightlifting competition will be held from July 26 to 30 at the SEC Armadillo during the Games, which run from July 23 to August 2.

Chanu, a two-time Commonwealth Games champion, will compete in the women's 48kg category. India's women's squad also features Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg), Bindyarani Devi (58kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Sanjana (77kg) and Martina Devi (+86kg). The men's team comprises Rishikanta Singh (60kg), M Raja (65kg), Ajaya Babu (79kg), Dilbag Singh (94kg) and Lovepreet Singh (+110kg).

Speaking to ANI, Chanu said expectations of winning medals naturally bring pressure, particularly for athletes making their Commonwealth Games debut. However, she stressed that the team should trust its preparation and focus on performing well on competition day.

"I tell the whole team to stay relaxed. Everyone feels pressure, especially those who are competing for the first time," Chanu said.

She added that expectations from Indian fans are high, but the athletes are trying to put that aside and concentrate on their training.

"We will try our best to keep the pressure aside and perform the way we have trained... The whole team is doing well, and we will give our all," she said.

The 31-year-old also advised younger lifters not to treat the Commonwealth Games differently from other major international events.

"The games are the same. It's not like the Games are different from Championships," she said, adding that thinking otherwise only creates unnecessary pressure.

According to Chanu, athletes should compete with the same approach they adopt at World and Asian Championships, without overthinking the occasion.

One of India's most successful weightlifters, Chanu has won three Commonwealth Games medals — silver at Glasgow 2014 (48kg), followed by gold medals at Gold Coast 2018 (48kg) and Birmingham 2022 (49kg). She is also a former world champion and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist.

Chanu last competed at the National Weightlifting Championships in Modinagar in February, where she won the 48kg title. She missed the Asian Weightlifting Championships in May while recovering from a shoulder injury sustained earlier this year.

Joining her in Glasgow are Birmingham 2022 silver medallists Bindyarani Devi and Harjinder Kaur, who will compete in the women's 58kg and 69kg categories respectively. In the men's events, Birmingham 2022 bronze medallist Lovepreet Singh will lead India's campaign in the +110kg division, while Rishikanta Singh, Ajaya Babu and Dilbag Singh are set to make their Commonwealth Games debuts.

India heads into the competition with a strong recent record in Commonwealth Games weightlifting, having finished among the leading nations at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022. At the previous edition, Indian lifters returned with nine medals, including five golds.