Tokyo 2020: Mirabai Chanu bags silver

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Mirabai Chanu ended India’s 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics by clinching a silver medal in the 49kg category.

With this, she opened India’s account in the medal tally.

The 26-year-old lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

This was welcome redemption after the 2016 Games where she couldn’t manage a single legitimate lift.

China’s Hou Zhihui bagged gold with an effort of 210kg (94kg+116kg).

Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia took home the bronze with an effort of 194kg (84kg+110kg).

Chanu attempted 84kg in her first snatch attempt.

She lifted 87kg in her next attempt and raised the weight to 89kg, which was one 1kg more than her personal best of 88kg.

However, she was unable to pull it off and settled for 87kg in the snatch event behind Zhihui, who managed to lift 94kg.

In the clean jerk, Chanu, the world record holder in the section, lifted 110kg and 115kg in the first two attempts which was was good enough for the silver medal.

India beat New Zealand

The Indian men’s hockey team beat New Zealand 3-2 in an exciting Pool A match to open their Olympics campaign on a winning note.

The Indian scorers included Harmanpreet Singh (26th and 33rd minutes) and Rupinder Pal Singh (10th).

India are currently ranked fourth in the world and are considered medal contenders.

For New Zealand, Kane Russell (6th minute) and Stephen Jenness (43rd minute) scored the goals.

India will next play Australia on July 25.

Other results

India shuttler Sai Praneeth on Saturday lost his group stage match against Israel’s Misha Zilberman here in the Tokyo Olympics.

Zilberman defeated Praneeth 21-17, 21-15 in the Group D match here at the Musashino Forest Plaza Court 2.

The Indian women’s hockey team lost 5-1 against Netherlands in their first match at Tokyo 2020. Captain Rani Rampal scored India’s only goal.

In the men’s singles tennis, Sumit Nagal beat Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-4, 6(6)-7(8), 6-4 in the first round.

His win was the first for an Indian men’s singles tennis player at the Olympics since Leander Paes’ bronze medal-winning run at Atlanta 1996.

In the 69 kg boxing category, India’s Vikas Krishan crashed out in the first round after losing his opening bout against Japan’s Sewonrets Okazawa 5-0.