Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu “Confident” of Winning Olympic Medal

Mirabai Chanu says winning medal in the Olympic is a surety...learn more…

Wednesday, 21st July 2021

After being faced with a disappointing Olympic debut in Rio during the 2016 games, India’s star weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu said she is confident that she will win a medal this time around during the Tokyo Olympics.

“I have big hopes for the Olympics. There is a self- belief. And I always believe that hard work always translates into success. Yes. I am confident of winning a medal. I will give my best.” Said Mirabai.

In the 2016 Olympics, Mirabai had failed to register a legal lift in all three attempts in clean and jerk.

Reminiscing the distressing time, Chanu said, “I have big hopes for the Olympics. I believe that hard work always translates into success. Rio is a thing of past. I cried all the way to my room from the stadium after failing to complete my event. Being my debut Games, suddenly I became nervous while lifting (in Rio), didn’t know what happened after all the hard work, practice and good show in the competitions leading up to the Games. Now I am matured to handle the pressure and confident of winning a medal in Tokyo.”

She also said, “I have worked very hard to be more perfect with my technique, especially in clean and jerk.”

The shame and heartbreak she experienced post that incident made the athlete see a psychologist after her return to India. The failure however, only went on to further clinch her resolve to succeed in her future endeavors and in the 2017 World Championship, she bagged the gold medal. Her form kept going from strength to strength and she won yet another gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

At the Asian Championship in 2021, Mirabai set a new world record by lifting a jaw dropping 119 kg in clean and jerk. With her extraordinary performance here, she has made herself one of India’s hopes to clinch a medal at Tokyo 2020.

Mirabai will be facing fresh challenges in this year’s games, and in snatch this time. Here, she will be required to go over the 90kg mark when her Chinese opponents are even breaching the 95 kg benchmark.

China’s Hou Zhihui had set a world record herself when she lifted a combined weight of 205 kg in the Asian Championship.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

Timesofindia Indiatimes