Imphal, June 13: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has congratulated star weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has become the one and only Indian weightlifter to qualify for this year’s Tokyo Olympics after securing the 2nd spot in the Absolute Rankings.
In his tweet, Singh wrote, “Hearty congratulations to @mirabai_chanu on qualifying for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in Women’s 49 Kg category. Mirabai Chanu has been ranked 2nd in the @iwfnet’s Absolute Ranking List in the 49 Kg category. May your hard work and dedication bring laurels to the country.”
Hearty congratulations to @mirabai_chanu on qualifying for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in Women's 49 Kg category. Mirabai Chanu has been ranked 2nd in the @iwfnet 's Absolute Ranking List in the 49 Kg category. May your hard work and dedication bring laurels to the country. pic.twitter.com/XDXmCIuQZl
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 13, 2021
Mirabai Chanu is placed 2nd in the 49kg category (4133,6172 points) on the Absolute Ranking list issued by the International Weightlifting Federation on Saturday. The former world champion was earlier ranked 4th but North Korea’s withdrawal from Tokyo 2020 propelled Chanu to second place.
This will be the 26-year-old’s second Olympics after the 2016 Rio Games where she failed to lift any of the weights in clean and jerk to bow out of the showpiece event in Brazil.
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But Chanu is one of India’s biggest medal hopes at the Games this year and recently gave a glimpse of her potential when she shattered the world record in clean and jerk to win the bronze medal at Asian Weightlifting Championships.
Chanu lifted 86kg in snatch and a world record of 119kg in clean and jerk for a total of 205kg to set a new world record in clean and jerk while also bettering her own national record in the process.
