Guwahati: India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu created history on Saturday as she became the first Indian weightlifter to win the silver medal. She won the medal in the women’s 49kg event on Day 1 of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Also, This is India’s first at the Tokyo Games.
The weightlifter delivers to her promise and wins a silver medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics. The 26-year-old Manipuri lass becomes the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal since the veteran last won a bronze at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Chanu lifted 84kg and 87kg successfully but failed to lift 89kg as she was placed in the second spot after snatch while China’s HOU Zhihu lifted 94kg to create an Olympic record. Mirabai Chanu equaled her personal best in a snatch of 87kg. She lifted 87kg in Snatch when she won the gold medal at the World Championships in 2017.
5 years ago, Mirabai had headed to her maiden Olympic Games at Rio as one of the big Indian hopes, but she suffered a poor outing. Mirabai has the world record of 119kg in clean and jerk at the 2021 Asian Weightlifting Championships.
The lone Indian weightlifter in Tokyo roared back to form with world championships gold in 2017 and Commonwealth Games gold in 2018. She heads into Tokyo Games after having set the world record in clean and jerk in the women’s 49kg category.
