Indian women’s weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in weightlifting in the 49 kg weight category at the Tokyo Olympics. Mirabai secured her Olympic medal by lifting a total of 202 kg in snatch and clean and jerk. Mirabai has raised the name of the country many times. So this time, there were strong expectations that she would win a medal for India and it came true.
Mirabai Chanu was born in a poor family in Nongpok Kakching village, 22 km from Imphal. She had six siblings in her family. From childhood, she wanted to pursue a career in archery, but decided to pursue a career in weightlifting when she was in the eighth grade. Seeing Kunjrani, a weightlifter from Imphal, Mirabai wanted to become a weightlifter too. Parents also had to retreat before Mirabai’s stubbornness. When she started practicing in 2006, she used to practice with bamboo bars as there were no iron bars. The meal consisted of chicken and eggs. But Meerabai, who was born in a normal family, could not do that either. But this did not stop Meerabai. Mirabai had to get up early every morning and travel 22 kilometers to the training center to train in weightlifting. After coming from there, the whole day would pass in preparing for school again and studying after coming home from school. At the age of 11, Mirabai was the under 15 champion and at 17 the junior champion. Mirabai broke the 12-year old record of Kunjrani, who had awakened the dream of becoming a champion in Mirabai’s mind by lifting 192 kg. However, the journey was not easy. Because Mirabai’s parents did not have enough resources. There was a situation where the Games would have to be abandoned if they did not qualify for the Rio Olympics. But this time has not come. Mirabai won a silver medal for India at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. But this time has not come. Mirabai won a silver medal for India at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Gold medals in this category also came to India’s account. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Meerabai defeated her idol Kunjrani in the qualifying round and secured her spot in the Olympics.
Mirabai has to face many tough situations in her life. Mirabai Chanu made history but it was not easy to achieve this goal, it is the hardships she put in during her childhood, hard work. Said to be seen in cradles, Chanu also used to collect more wood than her elder brother at the age of twelve. These hardships taken as a child have become important for the fulfillment of her dreams today. She had directly reached Tokyo after completing 50 days of training in America. But these hardships are not only for fifty days, but since the defeat in Rio Olympics. She did not perform well in Rio Olympics 2016. Mirabai’s performance in the Rio Olympics was disappointing. In a sport like the Olympics, it is a different matter if you have to lose to your opponent. But if the player is not able to complete his game, it is a shock to the mental courage of the player. Same thing happened with Mirabai in 2016. Mirabai was the second athlete in the Olympics to have ‘did not finish’ written in front of her name. The weights that Mirabai used to lift easily during practice, the same weights were lifted in the Olympic competition as if her hands were shackled. Since it was night in India at that time, very few Indians saw it. When sports lovers in India read this news after waking up in the morning, Mirabai became a villain in their eyes. At that time, Mirabai Chanu had to endure a lot of criticism. During this time she was facing depression. Every week she had to undergo treatment by a psychiatrist. She even thought of retiring from weightlifting. But she never looked back after that. Overcoming depression, Mirabai made a strong comeback. She won the gold medal at the World Championship in 2017 and the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Earlier, Karnam Malleswari won a bronze medal in Sydney Olympics in 2000. She proudly hoisted the flag of India, winning a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics.