Ananya Lohia , New Delhi - Fresh off her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, Mirabai Chanu returned to India with a hero's welcome but quickly shifted her focus to the one major medal still missing from her decorated career—the Asian Games.

The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist received a warm reception after leading India's weightlifting contingent at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Mirabai reflected on her journey from Manipur and said inspiring young athletes now feels as special as winning medals. With four Commonwealth Games medals to her name, she and coach Vijay Sharma have already begun preparing for the Asian Games in Japan.

Mirabai admitted that beating the Chinese and North Korean lifters remains her biggest motivation. She also spoke about the physical challenges of competing at 32, including slower recovery and strict weight management. To compete in Glasgow, she survived on one meal a day and drastically reduced her water intake to make the weight category.

Despite the sacrifices, Mirabai remains determined to finally win her first Asian Games medal and complete her remarkable collection of international honours.