Mirabai Chanu becomes 1st Indian weightlifter to win silver in Olympics

India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu created history on Saturday as she overcame her Rio heartbreak to become the first Indian weightlifter to win the silver medal at the Olympic Games. Chanu also became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the Women’s 49kg category.

China’s Zhihui Hou won the gold medal in the women’s 49-kg weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics, lifting a total of 210 kg, while Indonesia’s Windy Cantika Aisah won the bronze medal. Chanu managed to lift a total of 202 kg in the women’s 49kg category to become the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal.. A new Olympic record was registered by Mirabai Chanu with a successful lift of 115kg in clean and jerk.

At the Tokyo International Forum, Mirabai Chanu began with an 84kg lift in her first attempt in the snatch segment. Later, the Indian ace improved with an 87kg lift that put her in an advantageous position in the competition. But Mirabai’s momentum was cut short once Hou Zhihui hit her strides with a 88kg lift in her first attempt. Hou Zhihui then set a new Olympic record in the snatch at 94kgs in her third lift.