NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Star Indian weightlifter and Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu will have to compete in a higher weight category for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as her current 49kg division has been dropped from the Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved a revised weightlifting program with 12 total events—six each for men and women—starting from LA 2028, raising the lowest women’s category to 53kg.

Chief national coach Vijay Sharma welcomed the change, saying the move would ease the physical strain on Chanu, who has long struggled to cut weight to meet the 49kg limit. “This is a good thing for Mirabai because cutting down her weight to 48kg was a taxing process,” he said, adding that the Manipuri athlete would continue in her current class until the Asian Games next year before gradually bulking up.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) confirmed in a statement that the category changes are part of its ongoing restructuring and expansion of the Olympic program. “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 said. This marks the second revision of categories within a year.

Chanu, who won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and gold at the Commonwealth Championships, recently shifted to the 48kg class after the IWF had earlier dropped the 49kg division. Although the 49kg category has been reinstated for non-Olympic events like the World Championships, it will not feature in the Olympics.

Now 31, Mirabai will continue to compete in the 48kg/49kg divisions through 2026 before making a gradual transition to the 53kg class, giving her two years to adapt and prepare for the next Olympic challenge.