For India, the two-decades-long wait for a medal in weightlifting is finally over. On 24th July, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu bagged a silver medal in weightlifting. She was competing in the 49 Kg category. She successfully lifted a weight of 202 Kg (87 Kg + 115 Kg). While doing so, she improved the bronze medal won by India in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. That is to say, Indian athlete Karnam Malleswari achieved the feat in the 2000 Olympics event.
The 26-year-old weightlifter was suffering from the burden of failure in the last 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She was unable to log a single legitimate lift in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She had said earlier, “Players need psychologist a lot. Sometimes we feel really dull, we don’t feel like training or if we get injured during training, we feel low. At that time a psychologist helps a lot. They motivate us. After I failed in the Rio Olympics I was completely broken. I had aspirations of winning a medal, but I was not able to do so. So, I kept thinking ‘after working so hard why did I fail’.” However, this time she has made the whole country proud with the first medal in India’s name.
Olympic Silver Medallist Mirabai Chanu
Congratulatory messages have started coming in for the athlete. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur says, ‘Let me first congratulate #MirabaiChanu. A big thank you & thank you on behalf of PM Modi and the entire country for bringing a big smile on the faces of 135 crore Indians. First day, first medal, a silver medal. You made the country proud.’
resident Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, “Heartiest congratulations to Mirabai Chanu for starting the medal tally for India in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning silver medal in weightlifting.”
PM Modi took to Twitter, “Could not have asked for a happier start to @Tokyo2020! India is elated by @mirabai_chanu’s stupendous performance. Congratulations to her for winning the Silver medal in weightlifting. Her success motivates every Indian.” #Cheer4India #Tokyo2020
Hoping for many more to come!