She is the second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting since Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the Sydney Games in 2000
India got the first medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Saturday, as Mirabai Chanu ended India’s 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics. She got the Silver medal in the 49-Kg category.
India had got its last medal in weightlifting in the 2000 Sydney Olympics when Karnam Malleswari ended up getting bronze.
The wrestler from the Indian State of Manipur tried with 84kg in her first snatch attempt cleanly heaved the barbell. In the next attempt, she lifted 87kg and then lifted 89kg, which was more than her personal best of 88kg at the national championship last year.
Mirabai Chanu, 26, lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg), as the Gold medal went to China’s Hou Zhihui with an effort of 210kg (94kg+116kg). Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia bagged the bronze with an effort of 194kg (84kg+110kg).
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The wrestler from the Indian State of Manipur tried with 84kg in her first snatch attempt cleanly heaved the barbell.
In the next attempt, she lifted 87kg and then lifted 89kg, which was more than her personal best of 88kg at the national championship last year.
“It’s really a dream come true for me. I would like to dedicate this medal to my country and would like to thank the billion prayers of all Indians which were with me during this journey. I like to thank my family especially my mother for a lot of sacrifices and believing in me,” said Chanu in a statement posted on her Twitter account.
“Also special thanks to our government for supporting me, Ministry of Sports, SAI, I0A, Weightlifting Federation of India, Railways, OGQ, sponsors, and my marketing agency IOS for their continuous support in this journey,” she added.
In her statement she said, “”I would like to give special thanks to my coach Vijay Sharma sir and support staff for their continuous hard work, motivation, and training. Thank you once again to the entire weightlifting fraternity and all my countrymen.”
She is the second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting, since Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the Sydney Games in 2000.