Tokyo, July 24 (IANS)| Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won a historic silver medal in women’s 49kg lift at the Tokyo International Forum. On this success, he has received an influx of congratulations from the country. Mirabai, ranked third in the world, lifted a total of 202 kg with 87 kg in snatch and 115 kg in clean and jerk. This is India’s second medal in the sport after Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the 69kg category at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
China’s Hou Zhihui won the gold medal, setting a new Olympic record of 210kg. He also holds records in snatch with 94kg in clean and jerk and 116kg. Along with a silver medal in the Olympics, Mirabai has now won medals in Commonwealth Games, Asian Championships and World Championships. Mirabai started by lifting 84 kg in her first attempt of the snatch. She did better in her second attempt by lifting 87 kg. In the last attempt, she could not lift 89 kg. But her second attempt, also her personal best in the snatch, was good enough to finish second behind Zhihui.
A strong contender for this event, Zhihui lifted 88kg in her first attempt and then set an Olympic record of 92kg. She bettered her own score with 94kg in her last attempt at snatch. In clean and jerk, Mirabai lifted 110 kg in the first attempt and 115 kg in the second attempt. Though she could not lift 117kg in the last attempt, she managed to confirm the silver medal at the Olympics.
Silver medal! ????
After a tough battle, Chanu Saikhom Mirabai finishes in second place in the #weightlifting women’s -49kg and earns the first medal for India at #Tokyo2020@iwfnet @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/zLF5Et6NLC
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 24, 2021
The 26-year-old Mirabai was considered as a medal prospect for India at the Olympics, which began on Friday after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the lead-up to the Olympics, Mirabai had set a new world record in clean and jerk (119kg) in a bronze medal show of 205kg at the Asian Championships in Tashkent in April this year.
Mirabai has now completed a journey that began with disappointment at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her Olympic debut in the 48kg category was a horror show, unable to lift in all three attempts at clean and jerk. The impact was so severe that Mirabai had to seek the help of a sports psychologist to overcome the events of Rio. Five years out of Rio, mentally strong and rich in experience, Mirabai completed the turnaround in Tokyo by becoming the second Indian woman to win a silver medal at the Olympics and the fifth person overall.
Heartiest congratulations to Mirabai Chanu for starting the medal tally for India in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning silver medal in weightlifting.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 24, 2021
The silver medal around his neck and the smile behind the mask signaled the completion of a change in Tokyo, bridging Rio’s pain with joy. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have congratulated Mirabai on this success. As soon as Chanu won the medal, the President wrote on his Twitter handle, “Heartfelt congratulations to Mirabai Chanu for starting the medal tally for India at Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning a silver medal in weightlifting.” “Couldn’t have expected off to a happy start. India is upbeat. Brilliant performance by Mirabai. Congratulations to her for winning the silver medal in weightlifting. Her success inspires every Indian,” the Prime Minister wrote on his Twitter handle. Apart from this, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has also congratulated Mirabai.