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The International Weightlifting Federation on Monday announced updated categories for both men and women events which will come into effect from August of 2026.
Mirabai Chanu won 49kg silver at the Tokyo Olympics. (PTI Photo)
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) on Monday announced updated weight categories for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, with Tokyo Games’ silver medallist Mirabai Chanu’s 49kg weight class scrapped. Chanu had won her Olympic medal in the 49kg category.
The IWF, in a statement, announced 12 weight categories – six each for men and women.
“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,” it said in a statement.
The updated weights for the men’s events now include 65kg, 75kg, 85kg, 95kg, 110kg and +110kg, while for the women it’s 53kg, 61kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg and +86kg.
“These Olympic bodyweight categories are included in the recently-approved slight change of IWF’s 16 bodyweight categories (eight per gender),” IWF said.
The new categories will come into effect from August 1, 2026.
This isn’t the first time that Mirabai will have to make an adjustment after IWF changed the entry-level weight category for the world championships from 49kg to 48kg. The 31-year-old went on to clinch a silver at the event.
However, as per a report in The Indian Express, Mirabai’s immediate focus is on next year’s Asian Games, which won’t be impacted by the IWF announcement.
“The Asian Games is the only major event where she hasn’t won a medal, so the priority is to stay fit and compete there. After that, depending on how she is feeling physically, we will take a call on whether she will stay on till the 2028 Olympics,” the publication quoted a source as saying.
There’s enough time for Chanu, should she decide to continue, to bulk up for the next Summer Games.
The daily further reported that the changes to the entry-level category in the women’s event could prove to be beneficial to India given that the current youth world record holder in the 53kg is India’s Koyel Bar.
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital…Read More
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital… Read More
November 04, 2025, 09:43 IST
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