Mirabai Chanu wins gold medal in Weightlifting World Championship

[caption id="attachment_152411" align="alignnone" width="550"] Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu attempts a lift on her way to win the gold medal in women’s 48kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim on Thursday. PTI [/caption] New Delhi, Nov. 30 (PTI): Mirabai Chanu today became the first Indian in over two decades to claim a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championship in Anaheim, USA, exorcising the ghosts of her forgettable outing at the Rio Olympics. Chanu, who is employed with the Indian Railways, lifted 85kg in snatch and 109kg in clean and jerk to total an impressive 194kg in the women's 48kg, in the process setting a new national record. Seeing the tricolour from the podium, tears of joy rolled down her cheeks, as Chanu picked up a rare honour for an Indian at the marquee event. Olympic bronze medallist Karnam Malleshwari had won the top prize in worlds twice - in 1994 and 1995. Chanu's outing in Anaheim was very different from the way things panned out in Rio last year when she put up a disappointing performance as she could not get an overall total in women's 48kg after failing to lift the weight in any of her three attempts in clean & jerk section. In a field of 12 lifters at the Rio Games, she was one of two lifters who did not finish (DNF) her event. Thailand's Sukcharoen Thunya won the silver medal with a total lift of 193, while Segura Ana Iris bagged the brozne with 182kg. Some of the world's top weightlifting nations such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Azerbaijan could not take part in the competition due to issues related to doping.

Manipur minister hail Chanu

Our Correspondent Imphal, Nov. 30 (EMN): Manipur’s Information and Public Relation Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh has congratulated star weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu after she bagged gold at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, USA on Thursday. In his congratulatory message, the Minister Biswajit, who is also the Manipur government spokesperson, said the feat is all the more impressive as Chanu’s win has ended a medal drought of more than two decades for India at the world championship. Before her, Karnam Malleswari won the world title in the 54 kg division in 1994 and 1995. He said Chanu has brought laurels for the State and the Country, and that her gold has only reaffirmed Manipur’s place in the sporting world. He further wished her all success in her future endeavours. Mirabai Chanu lifted 85 kg in Snatch and 109kg in Clean and Jerk for a total of 194kg to lift the gold in the 48 kg competition.