Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the Asian Games on Wednesday, ending India’s 12-year wait for a medal in the sport at the continental event.
The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist lifted a total of 198kg, combining 88kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. Her achievement marks India’s first Asian Games weightlifting medal since Karnam Malleswari won silver in 1998.
Speaking after winning the medal, Chanu described the achievement as a dream come true. She said she had been working towards an Asian Games medal for the past 12 years, since making her Asian Games debut in 2014.
“This medal completes my journey. I now feel very light. These are the Asian Games I had dreamed of,” Chanu said.
North Korea’s two-time world champion Ri Song Gum won the gold medal after lifting a total of 215kg, comprising 94kg in the snatch and 121kg in the clean and jerk. She also set a world record for the combined total and completed a hat-trick of Asian Games titles.
Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Trivijayana claimed the bronze medal with a total lift of 191kg, consisting of 88kg in the snatch and 103kg in the clean and jerk.
Chanu had already won medals at the Olympics and World Championships but had not been able to secure an Asian Games medal before this edition. At her first Asian Games in 2014, she finished ninth. She missed the 2018 Asian Games because of a back injury, while she finished fourth at the previous edition.
In the snatch section, Chanu opened with 83kg before successfully lifting 85kg and 87kg in her next two attempts. She finished the first phase in third position.
She then lifted 111kg in the clean and jerk to secure her first Asian Games medal.
Chanu said winning an Asian Games medal had been a dream since she began her weightlifting career. She added that various circumstances had prevented her from achieving the goal at earlier Asian Games, but she was finally able to fulfil her dream this time.