Saikhom Mirabai Chanu

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (born 8 August 1994) is an Indian weightlifter. A regular presence in international events since 2014 in the 48 kg category, Chanu has won the World Championships and multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions to the sport. She was awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awards by the Government of India for year 2018.

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
Personal information
Nationality India
Born (1994-08-08) 8 August 1994
Nongpok Kakching, Imphal East, Manipur, India
ResidenceManipur , India
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Weight49 kg (108 lb)
Sport
CountryIndia
SportWeightlifting
Event(s)49 kg
Coached byKunjarani Devi
Medal record
Women's weightlifting
Representing  India
World Championships
2017 Anaheim48 kg
Commonwealth Games
2014 Glasgow48 kg
2018 Gold Coast48 kg

Chanu had won the silver medal in the women's 48 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow; she went on to break the games record en route to the gold medal at the 2018 edition of the event held in Gold Coast. Her biggest achievement came in 2017, when she won the gold medal at World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, United States.

Early life

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu was born on 8 August 1994 in Nongpok Kakching, Imphal, Manipur. Her family identified her strength from an early age when she was just 12. She could easily carry huge bundle of firewood to her home which her elder brother found it hard to even pick up.

Career

Chanu's first major breakthrough game at the Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games; she won the silver medal in the 48 kg weight category.[1]

Chanu qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics in the women's 48 kg category. However, she failed to finish the event as she failed to lift the weight in any of her three attempts in clean & jerk section.[2] In 2017, she won the Gold medal in the Women's 48 kg category by lifting a competition record 194 kg in total (85 kg snatch and 109 kg clean & jerk) in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships held at Anaheim, CA, United States.[3]

Chanu lifted a total of 196 kg, 86 kg in Snatch and 110 kg in Clean and Jerk to win the first gold medal for India in the Commonwealth Games 2018.[4] En route to the medal, she broke the games record for the weight category; the effort also marked her personal best performance.[5] She won Bronze in Clean and Jerk at 49 kg Category in 2019 Asian Weightlifting Championships. The total weight of 199 kg was her best ever and she just missed out on a bronze medal as her Snatch weight was lower than the third place athlete, both of whom had an identical total. At the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships, Mirabai lifted a total of 201kgs (87kgs Snatch and 114kgs Clean & Jerk) to finish 4th. [6] This personal best total also created a new national record in the 49kg category. She broke her personal record again four months later when she lifted 203kgs (88kgs in Snatch and 115kg in Clean & Jerk,) in the 49kg category to win the gold medal at the 2020 Senior National Weightlifting Championships. [7]

Awards

Chanu was felicitated by the Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, who presented her with a cash prize of ₹2 million. She received India's highest civilian sports honour Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna for 2018.[8] In 2018, Chanu was awarded with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.[9]

References
  1. "Lifter Sanjita Khumukcham wins India`s first gold medal at 2014 Commonwealth Games". 24 July 2014.
  2. "Rio Olympics 2016: India's Saikhom Mirabai Chanu fails to complete weightlifting event". First Post. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  3. "Mirabai Chanu wins gold at world Weightlifting Championships". 30 November 2017.
  4. "Mirabai Won Gold".
  5. https://www.firstpost.com/sports/commonwealth-games-2018-cwg-2018-gold-coast-live-updates-mirabai-chanu-wins-indias-first-gold-medal-4418861.html/amp
  6. https://www.iwf.net/new_bw/results_by_events/?event=472
  7. "Mirabai Chanu breaks personal record to win national championship". Olympic Channel. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  8. "World weightlifting champion Mirabai gets Rs 20 lakh". Zee News. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  9. "Padma awards 2018 announced, MS Dhoni, Sharda Sinha among 85 recipients: Here's complete list". India TV. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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