National Games: Tokyo medalist Mirabai Chanu wins Gold in weightlifting

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu lived up to the top billing at the 36th National Games in Gandhi Nagar to win Gold in the women's 49kg weightlifting. Mirabai piped her statemate Sanjita Chanu after lifting 191kg in the medal event on Friday, September 30.

Mirabai Chanu lifted 84kg in snatch and 107kg in clean and jerk to finish on the top step of the podium while Sanjita bagged the silver medal with 187kg (82kg snatch, 102kg clean and jerk).

Mirabai Chanu was competing in her 2nd National Games and the Commonwealth Games gold medalist was favourites to finish on the



top step of the podium. Mirabai revealed after winning Gold that she was nursing a left wrist injury.

Due to the injury, Mirabai skipped her third attempt in both snatch and clean and jerk. Mirabai seized an early advantage by lifting 81kg in her very first attempt before a clean effort of 84kg in her second lift gave her a cushion of 2kgs over her Manipuri statemate Sanjita, who could manage 80kg and 82kgs in her first two attempts.

Sanjita pushed hard in clean and jerk by lifting 95kg, 100kg, and 105kg successfully but she was not able to go past Mirabai's best lift of 107kg.