Mirabai Chanu-Biography

From lifting firewood as a kid to being elevated onto international podiums, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu’s story is one of a remarkable rise.

Saikom Mirabi Chanu was born on 8 August 1994 in Nongpok Kakching, Imphal, Manipur, to a Sanamahi Meitei family, is an Indian weightlifter. Ending India’s 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the grandest stages of them,star weightlifter Mirabai opened the nation’s medal account in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Saturday. She won Silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Women’s 49kg, helping to secure India its 1st medal of the games. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has also congratulated Mirabai for bringing her silver medal from this event. Saying that “India is full of happiness debut and great performance”.

Career

Mirabai Cahnu sprung to International prominence at the age of 20, when she bagged the silver medal in the 48kg category at the 2014 Common Wealth Games in Scotland. Chanu qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics in the women’s 48kg category. However, she failed to finish the event, owing to no successful lifts in any of her three attempts in the clean and jerk section. In 2017, she won the Gold medal in the women’s 48kg category by lifting a competition record 194kg in total (85kg snatch and 109kg clean and jerk) in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships held at Anaheim, CA, United States. In 2021, Mirabai Chanu became the 1st and only women Indian weightlifter to qualify for the 2021 summer games by securing the 2nd position in the 49kg category. The 27 year old, lifted 86kg in snatch and then created the world record by lifting a massive 119 kg in the clean and the jerk, for a total of 250 kg, which won her Bronze medal and a ticket to Tokyo Olympics.

Chanu won the silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, becoming the 1st Indian weightlifter to win silver in Olympics, winning a silver medal in 49 kg weightlifting with a total of 202 kg. Chanu managed to lift a total of 202 kg in the women’s 49 kg category to become the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleshwari to win an Olympic medal. A new Olympic record was registered by Mirabai Chanu with a successful lift of 115 kg in clean and jerk.

Awards and honor

  • Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, highest sporting honor of India. Chanu received this award in the year 2018.
  • Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, Chanu received this award in 2018.

Rs.20 lakhs from the Government of Manipur for the gold medal in the 2017 World Weightlifting Champions.

For winning the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics

  • Rs. 50 lakhs from the Government of India.
  • Rs. 1 crore from the Government of Manipu.

After Norman Pritchard, Rajyvardhan Rathore, Sushil Kumar, Vijay Kumar and P.V Sindhu, Chanu is India’s 6th individual silver medalist at the Olympics. “I am very happy, I have been dreaming of this for the past five years. I am very proud of myself right now, I did try for Gold but even silver is a great achievement for me,” Chanu told reporters after her sensational performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

Conclusion

Talent and hard work together can get any person to success, working hard can lead you to success and that success can be more durable because practice makes person perfect. Hard work is the only key to achieving it, it teaches us discipline, dedication and determination. Saikom Mirabai Chanu is the perfect example for hard work and determination.