Mirabai Chanu wins silver medal in weightlifting at the Olympics, ending India's long wait of two decades.
Mirabai Chanu on Saturday won a silver medal in the women's 49 kg weightlifting competition to open India's counter at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. To win the medal, the Manipur-based athlete lifted a combined weight of 202kg. China's HouZihui won the gold medal in the event with a combined weight of 210kg.
Chanu lifted a total of 85 kg in the snatch portion of the event. She also finished with a clean and jerk lift of 115kg. After KarnamMalleswari, Chanu is the second Indian weightlifter to win Olympic gold.
Tokyo Olympics 2020 - Day 1
Chanu was a past world champion when she won Anaheim the gold medal for the 48 kg category. She is the current Commonwealth Games gold medalist for the 48 kg category.
Mirabai Chanu's family & neighbours celebrate her silver medal in Tokyo.
With a confident smile that never leaves her face, Mirabai Chanu ended India's two-decade-long wait by winning a weightlifting medal at Olympics. She won the silver medal in the 49 kg category five years after losing the platform in tears after a disastrous debut.
Her historic victory ensured that India was now second in the medals count, which had never been done before.
To better Karnam Malleswari's bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, this diminutive iron lady came from Manipur. She lifted a total weight of 202 kg (87kg / 115kg). She then exercised all the ghosts of the 2016 Games, where she hadn't managed a single legitimate lift.
Her smile was radiant throughout the performance, but it was hard to miss her earrings in the shape of Olympic rings. They were a gift from my mother.
Hou Zhihui from China won the gold medal with 210 kg (94 kg and 116 kg). He set Olympic records in all three categories: Total, clean and jerk, and Snatch.
Tokyo Olympics 2020 - Complete Coverage
Aisah Windy Kantika from Indonesia won the bronze medal with a 194 kg effort (84 kg 110 kg).
Chanu tried 84kg her first attempt at Snatch, which was considered her weakness. However, Manipuri was patient and heaved the barbell with ease.
In her second attempt, she lifted 87kg and climbed to 89kg. This was 1kg more than her personal best of the national championship last season (88kg).
She could not beat her personal best, so she settled for 87kg in Snatch, just behind Zhihui, who set a new Olympic record of 94 kg.
The Chinese lifter also holds the world record (96 kg).
Chanu, the world record holder for clean and jerk, lifted 110 kg and then 115 kg respectively in the second and third attempts.
She was unable, however, to lift 117 kg in her last attempt. This would have been an Olympic Record, but it was enough for her to win a medal and open India's account.
Manipuri, a diminutive girl, collapsed after realizing that she had won a medal. She hugged Vijay Sharma in joy.
To celebrate the historic podium finish, she later entered Punjabi bhangra.
Chanu was delighted by her accomplishment, and no face mask could conceal her smile at the medal ceremony. However, there was some confusion among the winners.
COVID-19 protocol for the Games stipulated that winners should be socially distant and not pose for group photographs.
The medallists congratulated each other and took pictures together before an official asked them to distance themselves.
The Indian fighter has proven her worth in international competitions and deserved an Olympic medal.
Her collection includes:
• A highly sought-after world championship gold medal.
• Two Commonwealth Games silver medals (gold in 2018 and 2014).
• An Asian Championship bronze.