Mirabai wins Commonwealth C’ships gold on return to action

Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu lived up to her top billing with a record-breaking show as she expectedly won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships here on Monday.
The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist lifted a total of 193kg (84kg+109kg) to set new Commonwealth Championship records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total, finishing atop the women’s 48kg podium.
Her effort was a whopping 14kg more than the previous total record in the tournament.
National Games champion Rishikanta Singh added the second gold of the day in the men’s 60kg with a total effort of 271kg (120kg+151kg).
Returning to international action after a year-long hiatus due to an injury, Chanu did look rusty at times, managing only three successful lifts out of six.
“I am truly delighted to win the gold medal here because this is my first international event after the Olympics and in 48kg category. I had doubts if I will be able to give the same performance I did in this weight,” Chanu said.
“This victory is a great confidence boost as I prepare for the World Championships in October, and I’ll continue to give my best to make India proud on the international stage,” she added.
The 31-year-old faltered on her opening snatch attempt of 84kg as the judges were unhappy with her left elbow. But she cleared the same weight in her second attempt, shattering the 80kg snatch record.
Her third try of 89kg also ended in a failed lift as she showed signs of discomfort in her right knee.
“I was not aware the first lift has been deemed no lift. But I think there was an issue with the left hand so that could be the reason,” Chanu said
With no real competition to push her, Chanu was essentially competing with herself. She opened with a 105kg lift in clean and jerk, which 5kg more than the previous tournament record.
She improved that to 109kg, matching her 2017 World Championship-winning effort. However, she could not complete her final attempt of 113kg.
“I was not aware the first lift has been deemed no lift. But I think there was an issue with the left hand so that could be the reason,” Chanu said.
Irene Henry of Mayasia, who lifted 161kg (73kg+88kg), won the silver medal while Wales’ Nikole Roberts 150kg (70kg+80kg) took home the bronze.
The event marked Chanu’s return to the 48kg, a weight class in which she won her world championship title and two Commonwealth Games medals, but hasn’t competed in since 2018.Soumya Dalvi won the gold in the junior category.