Mirabai wins silver at World Weightlifting Championships

Star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, added to her impressive international record by winning a silver medal in the 48kg category at the World Championships in Forde, Norway.

The 2017 world champion and 2022 silver-medallist produced a total lift of 199kg (84kg in snatch + 115kg in clean and jerk) to be among the medal winners after moving down from the 49kg division. Chanu struggled in the snatch, failing twice at 87kg, but regained her rhythm in the clean and jerk, successfully executing all three attempts.

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A former world record holder in clean and jerk, Chanu completed lifts of 109kg, 112kg and 115kg with ease. The last time she lifted 115kg was at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where she won a silver medal.

North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won the gold with a commanding 213kg effort (91kg + 122kg), setting new world records in total as well as clean and jerk with her last two lifts of 120kg and 122kg. Thailand’s Thanyathon Sukcharoen settled for bronze with a total of 198kg (88kg + 110kg).

In the men’s division, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Lovepreet Singh is leading the Indian contingent at the World Championships. Singh recently won bronze at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

Indian weightlifters Ajith Narayana and Ajaya Babu Valluri also achieved success at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, both securing gold medals.