Mirabai Chanu has won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. She has also won the first medal India at the games
Zhihu Hou had won the gold medal in the same event. Chanu was able to lift the 94 and 87 kg successfully but was unable to lift the 89kg and got the second position as China’s Zhihu lifted the 94kg and went on to create an Olympic record.
Early life of Mirabai Chanu
Chanu belongs from Imphal, Manipur and was born into a Meitei family. Her family realized her dream of becoming a weightlifter when she was just 12 years old. She was able to carry huge bundle of firewood which even her elder brother couldn’t do so.
Mirabai Chanu wins silver medal in the 49kg category of weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics
Chanu’s first major achievement was during the Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games where she won the silver medal for the 48kg weight category.
She did qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics for the women’s 48kg category but was unable to finish the match as she was unable to lift the weight in the three attempts that she made in the clean and jerk section. During the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships, which was held at Anaheim, CA, United States, Chanu had won a gold medal in the women’s 48kg category and created a record by lifting a total of 194 kg, which consisted of 85kg snatch and 109kg clean and jerk.
During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she became the first Indian weightlifter to have qualified for the games and she also got the second position in the 49kg category. She is the only Indian women to participate in the weightlifting event in the Tokyo Olympics, and tried to make a comeback after having a disappointed season in the Rio Olympics.
She lifted the 86kg in the snatch and then also went onto create a world record for lifting 115 kg in the clean and jerk section. She qualified for tghe Tokyo Olympics by winning a Bronze medal in the 202kg category.
Reaction of Mirabai’s family after she won the silver medal
Her family, friends and neighbors, had come to her home to watch the event and they began celebrating after she lifted the 202 kg in the Tokyo Olympics. The ANI posted the video of the same on Twitter. Below is that video:
#WATCH | Manipur: Family and neighbours of weightlifter Mirabai Chanu burst into celebrations as they watch her win the #Silver medal for India in Women's 49kg category. #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/F2CjdwpPDc
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2021
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