Mirabai Chanu Wins Silver Medal at Tokyo Olympics
Mirabai Chanu secures 1st silver medal in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being held in Japan. Watch our latest video to learn more.
5 years ago, Mirabai Saikhom Chanu from Manipur, India participated in the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first time. Everyone hoped she would win a medal but she did not perform well and could not secure a medal. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, 26-year-old Chanu created history on Saturday 24 July 2021 as she became the first Indian weightlifter to win the silver medal at the Olympic Games. This is India's second weightlifting medal at the Olympics after Karnam Malleswari, who won the bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Chanu also became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the Women's 49 kg category. After winning Chanu spoke to the media and said, “I have waited to win a medal for so long. I trained hard to train and made many sacrifices. I have not eaten my favourite food, which is pizza, in a long time. The first thing I am going to do is eat a pizza.”
Immediately after this Pizza company Dominos Tweeted, “Mirabai Chanu, Congratulations on bringing the medal home! You brought the dreams of a billion+ Indians to life and we couldn't be happier to treat you to FREE Domino's pizza for life. Congratulations again!” Chanu had been working as a tickets inspector in the Indian Railways. After her win, an overjoyed Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren said, “You no longer have to be a ticket checking inspector in the railways.”He assured her that once she returns to India, he will give her a job suitable to her as a token of gratitude. Boxer Mary Kom, table tennis player Manika Batra, Badminton player PV Sindhu, are playing exceptionally well and keeping hopes of further olympic medals alive.
For the first time in history, India qualified for the Fencing in the Olympics. C A Bhavani Devi took part in the fencing match but sadly lost. After Indrajit Lamba's appearance in 1996 and Imtiaz Anees in 2000, no Indian had qualified in Equestrian at the Olympics. After 20 years, Fouaad Mirza became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics.
