Tokyo Games 2020: Mirabai Chanu Wins India’s First Medal With Silver In Women’s 49kg Weightlifting
Mirabai Chanu kickstarted the medal stack for India in the ongoing Tokyo Games. The ace weightlifter from Manipur has bagged the silver medal in the women’s 49kg category on the opening day of the Games.
With this, she has also become overall the 17th individual Olympic medallist from India (from 1900 to 2021).
Chanu lifted a total of 202kg - 87kg in snatch and 115kg in clean and jerk as she finished second. The World No 3 started with successful lifts of 84kg and 87kg in the snatch to make the perfect start and a failed attempt in the third lift. However, her first two lifts were enough to secure the second position after the snatch.
After the win, Chanu in a tweet shared her happiness and thanked her family, coach and sports federations for their support.
I am really happy on winning silver medal in #Tokyo2020 for my country 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gPtdhpA28z
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) July 24, 2021
The gold went to China's Hou Zhihui with an effort of 210kg (94kg+116kg) , while Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia took home the bronze with an effort of 194kg (84kg+110kg).
Soon after the win, people from the sports fraternity took to their social media accounts to hail her achievement.
Many many Congratulations to @mirabai_chanu on winning India’s first medal at #Tokyo2020. Such An inspiring performance that will be remembered for a long time to come and will inspire generations. Well done 🙌
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) July 24, 2021
Mirabai Chanu wins silver🥈 Medal in 49 kg Women's Weightlifting and made India proud🇮🇳
Congratulations @mirabai_chanu ! #Cheer4India #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/kxIjsRhrrg— Sakshi Malik (@SakshiMalik) July 24, 2021
You didn't just lift weights and pick a medal there, champion. You lifted a nation that needed to find joy and you did it with the widest smile. Take a bow @mirabai_chanu #TeamIndia #Tokyo2020
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) July 24, 2021
The 26-year-old is the only second Indian weightlifter to win a medal at the Olympics, after Karnam Malleswari achieved the feat with a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. This is also the first time India has won a medal on the opening day of the Olympic Games.
Chanu has bounced back from her previous Olympics performance in the 2016 Rio Games, where she failed to register a single clean lift in the clean and jerk. Since her disappointing performance at the Rio Games, she has won the gold medal in the 2017 World Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was also conferred the Khel Ratna for the year 2018.
(Edited by Sanhati Banerjee)
