Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
India’s star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu etched her name in the history books by winning a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the Asian Games. With a combined lift of 198kg, Chanu secured her maiden Asian Games medal and ended India’s 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the continental event.
The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist delivered a composed and consistent performance throughout the competition. In the snatch section, Mirabai began with a successful lift of 83kg before improving to 85kg in her second attempt. She then completed an impressive 87kg lift in her third and final attempt, placing herself firmly in medal contention.
Chanu continued her strong showing in the clean and jerk event. She opened with a successful 107kg lift and followed it up with an excellent effort of 111kg in her second attempt. With her medal position secure, she did not need to take a third attempt.
Her combined total of 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk gave her an overall score of 198kg, enough to claim the silver medal in a highly competitive field.
The achievement marks a significant milestone in Indian weightlifting, as it is the country’s first medal in the sport at the Asian Games since 1995. It also adds another prestigious accolade to Mirabai’s decorated career, which already includes an Olympic silver medal, a World Championship title and multiple Commonwealth Games medals.
Mirabai’s historic silver once again highlighted her status as one of India’s most accomplished athletes and provided a major boost to the country’s medal campaign at the Asian Games.
