Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu used to travel to her training centre in Imphal by trucks that carry sand and stone

Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 24 (EMN): The people of Manipur expressed their joy by sharing pictures, news and videos of weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu from the state, minutes after she won India’s first medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

Chanu clinched silver medal in the women’s 49 kg category by lifting a total of 202 kg (87 kg+115 kg), ending India’s over two decades of wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics. She finished behind China’s Hou Zhihui, who set an Olympic record with a lift of 210 kg (94 kg+116 kg).

The family, friends and neighbours of the weightlifter erupted in celebration as they watched her medal-winning performance on television at Nongpok Kakching village, about 20 km northeast of Imphal in Imphal East district.

“We’re so happy and really proud of her success. Now with her achievement, I wish her all the best,” Chanu’s father Saikhom Kriti told journalists, who visited his home after his daughter’s triumph at the Olympics.

Recalling Chanu’s life and her weightlifting journey, her mother Saikhom Ongbi Tombi Devi (58) said, “We’re also praying for her success because she really worked hard during her training days. Those days, she managed her diet with the available eatables at home as we couldn’t afford much.”

Tombi, mother of six children who runs a tea stall in the village, also informed that trucks carrying sand and stones passing through their village were Chanu’s mode of transportation to reach her training centre in Imphal during the early stages of her career.

“In fact, she (Chanu) faced many hardships during those days,” she recalled.

Chanu’s elder sister Naobi also expressed her happiness over her sister’s success in Tokyo, though she couldn’t make it to the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Congratulatory messages poured in after Chanu became India’s first silver medallist in women’s weightlifting and second to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari won bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

President of India Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and dozens of ministers took to Twitter to express their happiness and congratulate the iron lady for her feat.

 In a congratulatory note, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh tweeted: “What a day! What a win for India. Mirabai Chanu wins silver in Weightlifting Women’s 49 kg category, India opens tally in Tokyo Olympics. You have made the country proud today.”

Later in a video chat with Chanu, which has been widely circulated on social media, Biren Singh who is presently in Shillong to attend Northeast CMs’ meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, assured of rewarding her INR 1 crore (as announced earlier) and a job in Manipur government for winning India’s first medal in Tokyo Olympics.

She responded by saying: “I want to say a big thank you to the people for their continuous blessing and prayer.” She also informed that they were planning to return home on July 26.

 Last month, Chanu who is ranked second in the International Weightlifting Federation’s Absolute Ranking List in the 49 kg category, qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. On hearing of her inclusion in the Indian contingent, the Manipur cabinet on June 23 decided to extend a one-time cash incentive of INR 10 lakh to her, who had won India’s first gold in 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast in women’s 48 kg category.

On June 28, the government of Manipur also announced that a cash award of INR 1.2 crore would be rewarded to gold medal winners from the state, INR1 crore for silver medal, and INR 75 lakh for bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.