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Mirabai Chanu has become a household name in Indian sports with her international success in weightlifting. She hails from the state of Manipur, where boxers like Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, and the late Dingko Singh, former female weightlifters Kunjarani Devi and Sanjita Chanu have already made the country proud with their extraordinary career and success,
The 2017 world champion is one of the top female weightlifters in India. After the success of Karnam Malleswari, Kunjarani Devi and Sathish Sivalingam, the burden of carrying hopes of India's weightlifting on the global stage has fallen on Mirabai Chanu. However, she has successfully carried on the legacy of India's weightlifting on her shoulder.
India had only won one medal in weightlifting at the Summer Games when Karnam Malleswari won the bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. India is now hoping for Mirabai Chanu to end the 21-year medal drought in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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Mirabai Chanu's fascinating story of lifting firewoods to becoming weightlifting champion
Mirabai Chanu comes from a humble family background residing in Nongpok Kakching in Imphal, Manipur. At the age of 12, Mirabai lifted a heavy bunch of firewood on her head with ease after her brother struggled to do so. That is where young Mirabai Chanu realized her potential to be a weightlifter.
In 2007, Mirabai Chanu began to take up weightlifting and joined Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal, where she trained under Anita Chanu. Five years later, in 2012, then 17-year-old got her first international break by winning three bronze medals in weightlifting at the Asian Junior Championships.
Read: Weightlifting Sathuvachari to glory
In 2016, Mirabai Chanu faced the biggest disappointment of her career. She failed to lift the weight in three attempts in the clean and jerk section at the Rio Olympics. She said:
"Since it was my first Olympics so I became nervous, that's why I couldn't win the medal"
At the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships, Mirabai Chanu won the gold medal in the 49 kg category. The following year, she clinched the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
In 2021, Mirabai Chanu created the world record in the women's clean and jerk by lifting the weight of 119 kg and won a bronze with a total lift of 205 kg at the Asian Weightlifting Championships.
Read: Experienced and evolved Mirabai Chanu eyeing a podium finish at Tokyo Olympics
Mirabai Chanu eyes top podium finish at the Tokyo Olympics 2020
Mirabai Chanu will be appearing in her second Summer Games at the Tokyo Olympics. She qualified for the quadrennial event in Japan after securing the 2nd spot in the Absolute Rankings released by the International Weightlifting Federation.
The 26-year-old is the only Indian weightlifter to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. After the Rio Olympics disappointment, Mirabai Chanu aims for the top podium finish at the quadrennial extravaganza in Japan, which is slated to be held later this month.
Mirabai Chanu's Tokyo Olympics campaign will begin on 24th July 2021.
Read: Want to win a medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics, says weightlifter Mirabai Chanu
Mirabai Chanu's reward for success
The Government of India conferred Mirabai Chanu with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Shri for her achievements and contribution to the sport of weightlifting.
Mirabai Chanu thanked the Government of India for its support throughout her career. She even expressed gratitude towards her physiotherapist who helped her in recovering from injury before she could create a world record of 119kg in the clean and jerk.
Read: How Karnam Malleswari's Olympic bronze medal brought about a revolution in Indian sports
Watch the video here
Courtesy: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Read: Who is Mirabai Chanu? 5 things you didn't know about India's weightlifter
