On Wednesday, August 7, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, India's star weightlifter, competed in the 49 kg weightlifting event at the Paris Olympics 2024. As she took to the stage, almost 8,000 kilometers away in Imphal, her family gathered to watch her lift at her third Olympic Games.
In a heartwarming video posted by the Press Trust of India (PTI) on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Mirabai Chanu's family is seen closely following her every move on a large projector.
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The video captured the tension and pride of her family as they watched her strive for Olympic glory once more.
A look at Saikhom Mirabai Chanu performances at the Olympic Games
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has become a household name in India, inspiring countless young athletes over the years. The World Championship gold medalist made her Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the women’s 48 kg weightlifting event.
However, she was unable to complete any of her lifts successfully in the clean and jerk category and ended her campaign with just one successful lift in the snatch part of the event.
A few years later, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics turned out to be a turning point in Mirabai’s career. Competing in the 49 kg category, she won a silver medal, becoming only the second Indian woman weightlifter to win an Olympic medal. Her total lift of 202 kg (87 kg in snatch and 115 kg in clean and jerk) set a new personal best and won the medal for her and India.
On the other hand, her journey at the Paris Olympics 2024 ended with another heartbreaking 4th-place finish for the Indian contingent. Mirabai narrowly missed out on a podium finish after lifting a total of 199 kg, just behind Thailand's Khambao S., who secured the bronze with a 200 kg lift. China's Z. Hou clinched the gold, while Romania's Cambei M.V. took the silver.
