Mirabai Chanu wins historic Asian Games silver in women’s 49kg weightlifting, ending India’s 28-year wait for a medal in the discipline, and urges the government to consider her for the prestigious Arjuna Award after completing her major international medal collection.
Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu Saikhom has urged the government to consider her for the prestigious Arjuna Award after finally achieving her long-standing goal of winning an Asian Games medal. The 32-year-old secured a historic silver medal in the women’s 49kg category on Wednesday, adding another major achievement to her decorated international career.
Speaking to IANS after her podium finish, Chanu expressed her desire to receive the Arjuna Award, which she described as a major honour that is still missing from her collection of sporting accolades.
“I would like to request that the government give me the Arjuna Award. I will be very happy. The Arjuna Award is the biggest. I don’t have it. I want it. I will be very happy if the government considers my achievement and awards it to me,” Chanu said.
Chanu produced a total lift of 198kg, including an 87kg effort in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. She finished behind North Korea’s Ri Song-gum, who claimed the gold medal with a total of 210kg. Indonesia’s Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri won the bronze medal after registering a combined lift of 191kg.
The silver medal brought an emotional end to Chanu’s long wait for an Asian Games podium finish. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist had missed the 2018 Asian Games because of injury. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, she narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth while dealing with a thigh injury during her clean and jerk attempts.
For Chanu, the latest achievement represented the fulfilment of a dream she had pursued for several years. Recalling the emotions surrounding the medal, she said she felt close to tears after accomplishing her long-awaited target.
Chanu also reflected on her emotional reaction to previous achievements, saying the happiness she experienced after winning the Asian Games silver reminded her of another memorable moment in her career.
She said she had tears in her eyes after securing the medal but managed to hold them back. Chanu described the achievement as the fulfilment of a dream and said she was proud to win a silver medal for India in weightlifting after many years.
The achievement also has significance for Indian weightlifting as a whole. Chanu’s silver ended India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the sport. Before her podium finish, Karnam Malleswari was the last Indian weightlifter to win an Asian Games medal, having secured silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games.
The Asian Games medal also completes Chanu’s collection of medals from the Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Her latest achievement therefore adds another significant milestone to a career that has already brought her major international honours.
Chanu won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and has also enjoyed considerable success at the Commonwealth Games. Her achievements have made her one of India’s most recognised weightlifters on the international stage.
The weightlifter was awarded the Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour, in 2018. She also received the Padma Shri in the same year.
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With her historic Asian Games silver now added to her collection, Chanu has appealed for consideration for the Arjuna Award. The request comes after she finally fulfilled one of the major goals of her career and helped India end a 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal.
