NAGOYA, SEPT 23: The long wait is over for Mirabai Chanu. India’s celebrated weightlifting star finally secured the Asian Games medal that had eluded her, powering her way to silver in the women’s 49kg category at Nagoya on Wednesday.
The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist delivered a total lift of 198kg, combining 88kg in the snatch with 111kg in the clean and jerk. Her achievement ended a 28-year wait for India in Asian Games weightlifting, with the country’s previous medal coming through Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in 1998.
Chanu began her snatch campaign with 83kg and then successfully cleared 85kg and 87kg to stay firmly in medal contention. She raised the intensity in the clean and jerk, producing a decisive 111kg best lift to secure the silver and finally put an Asian Games medal around her neck.
North Korea’s two-time world champion Ri Song Gum claimed gold with a massive 215kg total (94kg+121kg), setting a new Asian Games record and completing a hat-trick of Asian Games titles.
For Chanu, the silver completes another missing piece in an extraordinary international career that already includes an Olympic silver, three World Championship medals including a gold, multiple Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championships titles, and an Asian Championships bronze.
After two previous Asian Games appearances without a medal, Chanu has finally conquered the Asian Games podium.
