Picture Credit: Twitter
Mirabai Chanu on Saturday opened India’s medal tally account in Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning a silver medal in the women's 49 kg weightlifting competition. The Manipur-born athlete lifted a total weight of 202 kgs to win the medal. Chanu picked 87 kgs in snatch and lifted 115 kgs in the clean and jerk part of the event. Notably, she is only the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Tokyo Olympics Silver medallist
Name: Chanu Saikhom Mirabai
Born on: August 8, 1994 (26 Years old)
Hail from: Nongpok Kakching, Imphal, Manipur
Profession: Weightlifting
Weight Category: 49 Kg
International Achievements
Mirabai first rose to fame in the international arena at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. Chanu won a silver medal in the tournament.
After the failure of the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she failed in all three attempts in clean and jerk, Mirabai Chanu bounced back to clinch the gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim.
Chanu then smashed the Commonwealth Games records won gold at the Gold Coast Games in 2018.
Chanu won Gold at Qatar International Cup after lifting 194kg in 2019.
Mirabai then won a bronze medal finish at the Asian Championships in 2021 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
She secured the silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for 49kg.
Awards
Chanu received India's highest civilian sports honour Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna for 2018.
In 2018, Chanu was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.