In a day filled with high expectations and intense competition, Indian weightlifting star and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist S Mirabai Chanu finished fourth in the women’s 49 kg category at the ongoing championship on Wednesday.
Chanu, who had previously set a personal best of 205 kg at the 2020 Asian Championship, concluded the competition with a total lift of 199 kg.
This was a notable gap from her previous performances, leaving Indian fans disheartened.
After her second-to-last attempt, Chanu was in the bronze medal position. However, Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao overtook her by successfully completing her lift, securing the third spot.
Chanu’s final attempt to lift 114 kg in the clean and jerk phase was unsuccessful, a significant setback given her history of holding the world record in clean and jerk with a lift of 119 kg.
The competition saw Romania’s Mihaela Cambei taking an early lead with a total score of 205 kg.
China’s Zhihui Hou clinched the gold medal by setting a new Olympic record with a final lift of 107 kg in the second phase, ending the event with 206 points.
In the snatch phase, Chanu made a strong start, matching the Dominican Republic’s Beatriz Piron with an 85 kg lift.
They were briefly tied for the highest score until Khambao surpassed them with an 86 kg lift on her first attempt.
Chanu, determined to surpass her Tokyo Olympics performance, attempted an 88 kg lift but only succeeded on her final attempt, which at that moment was the highest of the night.
However, Cambei excelled in the snatch phase, completing a 93 kg lift on her third attempt, establishing her dominance early on.
In the clean and jerk, Chanu’s struggle continued as she failed to lift 111 kg and could not manage the crucial 114 kg on her final try.
This dashed her hopes of securing a medal.
Chanu’s previous achievements include a total of 202 kg (87 kg in snatch and 115 kg in clean and jerk) which earned her a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Her all-time best lift remains at 205 kg, achieved during the Asian Championship in 2020.
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