TOKYO TRIUMPH: CHANU’S SILVER MEDAL DELIGHT
INDIA’S MIRABAI CREATES HISTORY WITH FIRST DAY OLYMPIC MEDAL
TRAINING tirelessly, staying away from family and maintaining a strict diet for five years finally culminated with the moment Mirabai Chanu had been desperately waiting for – standing on an Olympic podium with a silver medal for India – but it almost didn’t happen.
The postponement of the Tokyo Games and a break in training due to the Covid-19 lockdown last year brought with it a shoulder issue for the weightlifter that could have led to a completely different result, something Chanu had been worried about.
“When I started training after the lockdown, my back started getting tight and my right shoulder had some issues. It was not an injury, but it would get tight while lifting heavy weight,” Chanu said after winning a silver in the 49kg category in Tokyo.
“It happened because I had stopped training during the lockdown,” she added.
Chanu had been confined to the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala when a nationwide lockdown was announced last year to curb the spread of the virus.
Resuming training after months of staying inside her room, Chanu developed the shoulder issue. This severely affected her performance in snatch, one of the two elements in weightlifting.
She flew to the US to get treatment for it last year. Working with Dr Aaron Horschig, a former weightlifter turned physical therapist and a strength and conditioning coach, benefited her as she won a bronze at the Asian Championship with a world record clean and jerk lift of 119kg in April.
“The US physiotherapist worked with me. I have a muscle imbalance. Whenever I lifted a heavy load I used to be in pain. She would make me do some exercises. That benefited me a lot and I was able to create a world record in the Asian Championship,” she revealed.
Chanu again flew to the US for a 50-day camp ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Last Saturday (24), the 26-year-old brought cheer to more than a billion people as she clinched the silver medal with an effort of 204kg (87kg+115kg) in the women’s 49kg category.
“It’s really a dream come true for me. I would like to dedicate this medal to my country and would like to thank the billion prayers of all Indians which were with me during this journey,” said Chanu in a statement from her Twitter account.
She said reading about fellow Manipuri N Kunjarani Devi, the most decorated Indian female weightlifter, inspired her to take up the sport.
“While growing up I was inclined towards sports. But I had no idea what to do. Slowly I understood that I could do good and make India proud. The history books in my school had information about Kunjrani madam, I was inspired by that,” she said.
After staying away from home for five years, Chanu headed to her village in Imphal on Tuesday (27). But it won’t be for long as the 49kg clean and jerk world record holder has “no time to rest”.
“I have stayed at home probably for just 10 days in the last five years. I have to be back in training from August 10 as the Commonwealth Championship is in October, which is the qualification event for the Commonwealth Games.
“I have no time to rest.”