Mirabai Chanu Suffers Blow Before Olympics: 49 Kg Event Scrapped For Los Angeles 2028

Hyderabad: India's weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will have to face a new challenge in the 2028 Olympics, which are to be held in Los Angeles, as new weight categories are announced for the competition. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has introduced a new Olympic division, and Mirabai’s weight category of 49 kg is scrapped. This comes despite the number of weightlifting events being increased to 12, which is a rise from the 2024 Paris Games.

Chanu had clinched silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 in the 49 kg division and also finished fourth at the Paris Olympics last year. Now, she will have to move up to 53 kg weight category if she wishes to take part in the LA 2028.

IWF revealed the details through a statement.

“Following the encouraging decision taken by the IOC to enlarge the weightlifting programme at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 – where 12 events (six men, six women) will be contested – the IWF selected the bodyweight categories for the upcoming Olympic rendezvous,” IWF said in a statement.

“These Olympic bodyweight categories are included in the recently-approved slight change of IWF’s 16 bodyweight categories (eight per gender).”

The 53 kg weight category is the lowest weight class for women participants in the LA 2028.

Weightlifting categories for the LA 2028 Olympics.

Men: 65kg, 75kg, 85kg, 95kg, 110kg, +110kg

Women: 53kg, 61kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, +86kg

Challenges ahead for Mirabai

The 31-year-old has two challenges in front of her moving ahead. One, she has to prepare for a higher weight category, which she is not used to. Also, lifting 200kg or more consistently will be important in the 53 kg category. In the 2024 Olympics, she lifted 199kg across snatch and clean and jerk.

Also, she lifted 199 kg in the World Championships held last month and won silver. Also, her fitness has been an issue recently, with Mirabai facing shoulder and wrist injuries