In a heart-stopping display of strength and determination, India’s Mirabai Chanu came agonizingly close to clinching a bronze medal at the Weightlifting World Championships, lifting a total of 199 kg. Competing in the women’s 49 kg category, Chanu’s impressive performance saw her lift 87 kg in the snatch and 112 kg in the clean and jerk.

Despite her best efforts, Chanu missed the podium by a mere kilogram, finishing fourth. Hou Zhihui, a gold medallist from the Tokyo Olympics, defended her championship with 206 kg, while Mihaela Valentina Cambei of Romania claimed silver with 205 kg. Surodchana Khambao of Thailand lifted 200 kg to win bronze.

Chanu, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is a former world champion, had high expectations for herself at this event. Her near-miss, however, only underscores her status as one of the world’s top lifters in her category.

Reflecting on her performance, Chanu said, “I gave it my all, and while I’m disappointed not to have won a medal, I’m proud of my effort. The competition was incredibly tough, but I’m taking this experience as motivation to work even harder.”