India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu wins gold in Singapore, books berth for Birmingham Commonwealth Games

India’s Olympic Games silver medalist Mirabai Chanu has booked a berth for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The 27-year-old Manipur weightlifter won gold in women’s 55kg at the Singapore Weightlifting International on Friday to secure her place, as confirmed by Vijay Sharma, India’s chief coach.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Mirabai won silver at 49kg, but has shifted to a higher weight category this year for the Commonwealth Games.

According to Sharma, by virtue of winning the Olympic silver medal, Mirabai is also eligible to compete at the 49kg event at the Commonwealth Games.

“The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will decide which event Mirabai will compete in at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games,” Sharma told Sportskeeda over the phone from Singapore.

On Friday, Mirabai achieved a total lift of 191kg, including 86kg in snatch, an Indian record, and 105kg in clean and jerk.

Australian lifter Jessica Sewastenko took home silver with a total lift of 167kg. Jessica lifted 77kg in snatch and 90kg in clean and jerk.

Malaysian lifter Elly Cascandra Englebert won bronze with a total lift of 165kg. Her maximum in snatch was 75kg while she lifted 90kg in clean and jerk.

India’s Sanket Sargar dominated the men’s 55kg group. With a total lift of 256kg, he erased national as well as Commonwealth records in the 55kg group.

While Sagar managed 113kg in snatch, his lift of 143kg in clean and jerk was a Commonwealth as well as an Indian record. The total of 256kg was also an Indian record.

The Indian team also won silver in the 55kg weight division through Rishikanta Singh, whose total lift was 246kg. In the snatch, he lifted 110kg, with 136kg in clean and jerk.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham is scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 8. The competition will be organized in 16 weight divisions, including eight in the women’s section. Each participating nation has been allotted one berth in each weight.

Coach Vijay Sharma is optimistic about Indian weightlifters achieving qualification in all 16 weight categories.