Picture Credit: Instagram
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu scripted history on Saturday as she clinched a silver medal in the 49kgs category on Day 1 of Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 26-year-old was one of the medal contenders going into the Games and was carrying the hopes of the entire nation. After a rather disappointing outing in Rio Olympics 2016, Mirabai ensured that she would redeem herself in Tokyo and she did it in style, lifting a total of 202 kgs in the event.
While many fans in India saw history being made live, a lot of people woke up to this wonderful news as the event took place in the morning (as per Indian time). As we have often seen in past with athletes like PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, winning a medal in the Olympics often results in getting the much-needed fame on social media. Another glimpse of the same was seen by everyone on Saturday.
Fans shower love and blessings on social media
Ahead of the women's 49kgs weightlifting event on Saturday, Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu had around 21.4k followers on her Instagram account. However, as soon as she clinched a historic silver medal in Tokyo, the Indian fans flooded the social media with congratulatory posts. Everyone showered their love to the Indian athlete in the modern way i.e. by following her on Instagram. In just a matter of few hours, Mirabai's follower count had increased massively to over 138k at the time of writing the news.
After her massive achievement, the fan following showed its effect across all social media platforms.
While her Twitter account also increased from 17k to 67k followers, her official Facebook page now has 36k followers now, as compared to around 9k before the event.
It's a dream come true for me: Mirabai
The Indian weightlifter also acknowledged all her fans on social media and expressed her delight at her remarkable feat. Mirabai Chanu posted a photo of her with the Olympic medal and stated, "Finally it's a dream come true for me," reflecting on a long 5-year journey since Rio 2016. In another post, she dedicated the medal to the nation as she showed her gratitude to the billion prayers of all Indians who were with her throughout her journey.