Xtra Time Web Desk: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu created history on Saturday by winning a silver medal in weightlifting 49kg category at Tokyo Olympics. The 26 year old girl from Manipur became the first weightlifter from the country to win a silver at the Olympics.
“I have been dreaming of this for the past five years,” said Mirabai Chanu after winning India’s first medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I am so happy, I won silver. I tried very hard for gold. But the target to accomplish got a little hard in clean and jerk. I tried to better the Olympic record, but it didn’t happen. I am very happy nevertheless,” said Mirabai after her event.
“I was nervous because the entire country was watching, but I came in thinking I need to give it my best and try and get a medal.”
Mirabai lifted a total of 202 kg and broke the previous Olympic record in the category. India’s only previous medal in weightlifting was won by Karnam Malleswari, a bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
At Rio 2016, Mirabai had fallen short. She failed in her first two lifts in snatch and just about made her third attempt. In the clean and jerk, Mirabai did not have a single clean lift.
“I learnt a lot from Rio 2016. I learnt what I need to do, where I need to improve, and I am here because of that failure in Rio. I was very sad, but here we are,” she said.
“I am very happy to win the first medal for India at these Games. I don’t just belong to Manipur, I belong to the whole country,” she added in response to a query on what it meant for her as a Manipuri.
Reacting to her daughter’s historic achievement, Chanu’s father Saikhom Tombi said, “I am very happy that my daughter got silver medal in Olympic. It’s really a dream comes true. My daughter faced very hardships in the beginning. She is very hardworking daughter. She used to go around 35 kms by sitting on the roof of sandy trucks for practise at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal daily. I am proud of my daughter who brings laurel for India.”
“I am fully confident that my daughter will bring something for our country. In the beginning, when I see in television, little bit nervous that she will lose or win. However, the performance given by my daughter , hopefully , that she will get a medal. My daughter is very hardworking girl. I am proud myself to be a mother of Mirabai. She brought the laurel of India” said Chanu’s mother Saikhom Kriti.