Tokyo Olympics: Mirabai Chanu Opens Up On Winning Silver, Says ‘tried Hard To Win Gold’

Tokyo Olympics: Mirabai Chanu Opens Up On Winning Silver, Says ‘tried Hard To Win Gold’

Mirabai Chanu has created history to become the first Indian weightlifter to win the silver medal at the Olympic Games by lifting 202 kgs

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu earned India its first Olympics medal at the Tokyo Olympics, on Saturday. After bagging a silver in the Women’s 49kg category, Mirabai Chanu opened up on her win and how she had been determined to give her best.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Chanu expressed her happiness over winning a silver medal, sharing that she had been a little nervous ahead of the event. She also revealed that she had tried her best to win a gold, even though she could not make it.

“I’m very happy that I’ve won the medal. The entire country was watching me & they had their expectations, I was a little nervous but I was determined to give my best…I worked really hard for this,” she told ANI. “I tried my best to win gold medal, I wasn’t able to win gold, but I really tried. When I did 2nd lift, I understood I’ll bring a medal along with me,” she added.

The star weightlifter has created history to become the first Indian weightlifter to win the silver medal at the Olympic Games by lifting 202 kgs. The world number three is also the second Indian to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting after Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in 1998.

Mirabai Chanu bags silver at Tokyo Olympics 2020

At the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Mirabai Chanu started the competition by lifting 84kg in her first attempt during the snatch event. Chanu’s competitor Jourdan Delacruz from the USA lifted 83kg in her first attempt, however, the Indian lifter upped her ante to lift 87kg in her second attempt, while Delacruz in her second attempt lifted 86kg. World Champion China’s Hoi Zhuihui topped the standings at the halfway mark after lifting 92kg after two attempts. Both Chanu and Delacruz failed to lift 89 kg in their third attempt allowing Zhuihui to stay top of the table. The Chinese weightlifter made a new Olympic record in the snatch by lifting 94kg in her third and final lift. Mirabai Chanu finished the event with a total lift of 202 kg and bagged the silver medal.