Mirabai Chanu Withdraws with Back Sprain as Gyaneshwari Yadav Finishes Eighth at World Weightlifting Championships

India experienced contrasting fortunes at the World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, China, as Mirabai Chanu withdrew from the women’s 53kg competition with a back sprain, while Gyaneshwari Yadav delivered a strong performance to finish eighth overall.

Gyaneshwari lifted a combined 198kg, comprising 88kg in the snatch and 110kg in the clean and jerk. The total was just one kilogram short of her personal best of 199kg and marked an encouraging performance in the opening phase of the qualification campaign for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Mirabai, who was competing in the 53kg category as part of her renewed Olympic-cycle plans, did not start in the competition. The Olympic silver medallist was initially scheduled to compete in Group B but did not appear on the platform. She subsequently withdrew because of a back sprain, ruling her out of the event.

Mirabai's absence was a significant setback for the Indian contingent. The 31-year-old had moved to the 53kg category with the LA28 Olympic qualification cycle in mind, as the weight class is set to be the minimum women's category at the 2028 Olympics.

Her participation at the World Championships was therefore expected to provide an important assessment of her progress in the new category. However, the back sprain prevented her from competing in Ningbo.

Mirabai was listed in Group B, a non-medal session, but did not take the platform. Her absence from Group A also confirmed that she would not feature in the final standings. The immediate priority will be her recovery, particularly with several qualification events still to come during the Olympic cycle. Competing in a new weight category requires careful preparation, and the injury-related withdrawal means she will have to wait for another opportunity to assess her performance at 53kg.

For India, her withdrawal also meant that Gyaneshwari's performance became the main positive from the women's 53kg competition.

Gyaneshwari Yadav Delivers 198kg Total

Gyaneshwari produced a composed performance in Group C, finishing with a combined lift of 198kg to secure eighth place overall in the women's 53kg category. The 23-year-old lifted 88kg in the snatch, matching her personal best in the discipline. She followed it with 110kg in the clean and jerk to complete a total of 198kg.

Her overall performance was just one kilogram below her personal-best total of 199kg. She successfully completed four of her six attempts, demonstrating her ability to compete at a high level in the Olympic weight category.

Gyaneshwari topped Group C before the results from the other groups were incorporated into the overall standings. Her final eighth-place finish was a significant achievement, particularly given that she began the competition in the lower-ranked group.

In the individual disciplines, she finished ninth in both the snatch and clean and jerk, while her combined total placed her eighth overall. The result offers encouragement for the young Indian lifter as she looks to establish herself in the 53kg category and build towards the next stages of the Olympic qualification process.

Gyaneshwari's performance carries significance beyond her eighth-place finish because the World Championships form part of Phase 1 of the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

According to the qualification structure outlined for the cycle, there are six events in Phase 1, with each lifter's three best performances counting towards the qualification process. That makes consistency across the designated competitions particularly important.

Gyaneshwari's 198kg total provides a valuable starting point. Although it remains one kilogram below her personal best, producing a performance close to that mark at a World Championships is an encouraging sign.

However, the international competition also highlights the standard she will need to reach as the qualification campaign progresses. China, the United States and North Korea occupied the leading positions in the 53kg category with totals of 221kg, 220kg and 214kg respectively.

The gap between Gyaneshwari's 198kg and the leading totals underlines the work still required. At 23, she has time to improve her numbers, but maintaining progress through the qualification cycle will be essential.

The next event in Phase 1 is the first IWF Qualifier in Doha, beginning on December 7. Three more qualifiers, along with the 2027 World Championships and Asian Championships, are also part of the remaining Phase 1 schedule.

For Gyaneshwari, the immediate challenge will be to build on her performance in Ningbo. Her 88kg snatch matched her personal best, while the 110kg clean and jerk helped her come within one kilogram of her best overall total.

The ability to reproduce and improve on those numbers across the upcoming events will determine how competitive she can become in the Olympic qualification race.

For Mirabai, the focus will be on recovering from the back sprain and returning to competition. Her move to 53kg remains an important part of her LA28 plans, but the withdrawal in Ningbo has delayed the opportunity to evaluate her progress on the international stage.

India leaves the World Championships with two contrasting stories: a disappointing injury-related withdrawal for its most experienced weightlifter and an encouraging eighth-place finish for a rising contender. 

Gyaneshwari has given the country a positive start to the qualification campaign, while Mirabai will hope to return to the platform at full fitness.