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Imphal: Star Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who is one of the strong contenders in the women’s 49kg category in the run-up to the Olympics, sought public blessing ahead of the games.
The Tokyo Olympics is scheduled to begin on 23 July and end on 8 May 2021.
In a video message, World champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu from Manipur, who landed in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, Â said that she was fortunate enough to have been selected for Tokyo Olympics and further requested the people of Manipur to pray and extend their love for her upcoming competitions so that she can win a medal and bring laurels not only for Manipur but also for the nation. Â
Last month Mirabai Chanu qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in Women’s 49 Kg category. Chanu has been ranked 2nd in the International Weightlifting Federation’s Absolute Ranking List in the 49 Kg category released by the International Weightlifting Federation(IWF). Mirabai gathered 4133, 6172 Robi points to come second behind Chinese Hou Zhihui (4926, 4422) in the rankings published by the IWF recently.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation sent Mirabai’s entry after the confirmation of her place from the ‘world’ quota. Mirabai – who lifted a total of 205kg, including a world record of 119 kg in clean and jerk, to secure a bronze medal in the Asian championships in April – is considered a strong medal prospect in the Olympics.
On hearing of her inclusion in the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympics, the Manipur cabinet had on June 23 decided to extend the onetime cash incentive of Rs 10 lakh to Mirabai Chanu who had won India’s first gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast in women’s 48 kg category.
Moreover, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also announced that his government would hand over a cash award of Rs. 1.2 crore to gold medal winners, Rs. 1 crore for silver medal winners and Rs. 75 lakhs for bronze medal winners at the Tokyo Olympics.
Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Dr Najma Heptulla has conveyed her best wishes to the 119 Tokyo bound Indian Athletes who will be competing in 85 medal events in the Tokyo Olympics Games due to begin from July 23 to August 8, 2021. “Best wishes to the Indian contingent heading to @Tokyo2020 Olympics. I am sure they will bring laurels to the nation. Let us all come together and #Cheer4India,” Governor Dr Heptulla tweeted. With agency inputs
