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Our Correspondent
Imphal,Aug. 15 (EMN):The seven athletes from Manipur who represented India in the recently concluded Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 were officially felicitated at a function organised as part of the 75th Independence Day celebration in Imphal on Monday.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Govindas Konthoujam felicitated the athletes at a gathering at the Hafta Kangjeibung ground in Imphal East district soon after the state level 75th Independence Day celebration at the 1st Manipur Rifles Parade ground in Imphal West district.
Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting) was felicitated with a cash award of INR 15 lakh while her 23-year-old Weightlifting colleague Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam with INR 10 lakh.
27-year-old old Mirabai Chanu, one of India's top gold medal prospects,won India’s first gold medal at the Birmingham CWG 2022 in the women's 49kg weightlifting final. Chanu lifted 201kg (88kg in snatch and 113kg in clean and jerk) while 23-year-old Bindyarani, who secured a silver medal and India's 4th weightlifting medal, successfully lifted 86kg in the third attempt at the snatch round and a 116kg lift in the final attempt at the clean and jerk round in the women's 55kg category.
Judoka Sushila Likmabam who won a silver medal, and silver medal winning Indian hockey team(men)’s player Sh Nilakanta Sharma were awarded with INR 10 lakh each while bronze medal winning Indian hockey team(women)’s player Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam was awarded with INR 8 lakh.
Two cyclists who represented the country in the CWG 2022 namely Laitonjam Ronaldo Singh and Yanglem Rojit Singh were also felicitated with INR 2 lakh each.
Since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics onwards, Manipur has so far produced 19 Olympians including seven from hockey, four each from boxing and weightlifting, three from judo and one from archery. Last year, the Manipur Cabinet decided to develop an Olympian Park in the state to give recognition to Olympians and also to inspire state sportspersons to become Olympians in future.