History rarely arrives with ease. More often than not, it comes disguised as pain, failed attempts and years of sacrifice before finally revealing itself on the podium.

That was exactly Mirabai Chanu's journey in Glasgow on Sunday.

After becoming the first Indian athlete to win three consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals, the Olympic silver medallist chose to celebrate not just the medal, but the people who stood beside her through injuries, setbacks and relentless hard work.

Speaking after winning the women's 48kg title at the Commonwealth Games 2026, Mirabai said her family's unwavering support had kept her going during some of the toughest phases of her career.

'My family has supported me a lot till today. I have suffered many injuries, but my family supported me a lot,' she said.

The 31-year-old also credited her long-time coach Vijay Sharma for helping her remain consistent at the highest level over the years.

'From the beginning, there are many things for which we need to work hard and stay focused, whether it is the Games or a championship, on how we have to perform and how to maintain that performance. Vijay sir has always supported me in all of this,' she said.

Mirabai revealed that the team's original plan was not to push aggressively in the competition. However, after failing her opening snatch attempt, they were forced to rethink their strategy.

She recovered brilliantly, successfully lifting 82kg on her second snatch attempt before clearing 85kg on her final lift, setting new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch.

The clean and jerk brought another challenge. Mirabai failed her opening attempt but responded with a successful 105kg lift on her second try, comfortably sealing the gold.

She lifted eight kilograms more than her nearest rivals in the clean and jerk event.

The victory also made her India's first gold medallist at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding to the titles she won at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 to complete an unprecedented hat-trick.

For Mirabai, however, the defining moment wasn't the record books. It was standing atop the podium as the Indian national anthem echoed across the arena.

'When our National Anthem is sung, when we listen to it, tears come out automatically. They are tears of happiness because I won the first gold medal for India,' she said.