Paris Olympics: Mirabai Chanu misses out on medal, finishes fourth in weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu on Wednesday failed to retain her silver medal and finished fourth at the Paris Olympics with her total at 199 kg in women's 49kg category.

At the podium, Hou Zhihui of China stood with the gold medal, followed by Mihaela Cambei of Romania who took silver. Thailand's deubtant Surodchana Khambao claimed bronze.

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Mirabhai Channu started her game with an excellent 85 kg attempt in her first round of snatch. However, though she was unsuccessful in round two, Mirabai improved her best lift to 88 kg in her third attempt.

By upping her initial target to 111 kg from 107 kg in Clean and Jerk round, Chanu failed to lift in her first attempt. Just like her snatch round, she made a comeback and her best attempt stood at 111 kg. In her last attempt, she failed to lift her target of 114 kg, thus, taking her to fourth position.

Despite the loss, the Olympic event marks Chanu's comeback after she struggled with hip tendonitis injury that affected her during the last Asian Games in October as well.

Mirabai Chanu Key achievements

With being Olympic silver medallist, a world champion and a three-time Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, Mirabai Chanu has remained one of the India’s finest weightlifters.

Winning a silver in Tokyo made her the second Indian lifter after Karnam Malleswari to achieve this at Olympics.

Talking about her best effort since Tokyo would be 2022 Commonwealth Games where she lifted 201kg (88kg+113kg). She had won the silver in Tokyo by heaving 202kg (87kg+115kg).

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Olympics 2024: Chanu Main rivals

Reigning Olympic champion China's Hou Zhihui is the favourite to defend her title. And, she continued to play her best as she won gold today.

Be it battling intense menstrual camps to win a medal in Tokyo or attempting a 117 kg clean and jerk lift despite injuring herself during the Asian Games, she has shown her resolute side.

Despite the absence of North Korea's Asian Games champion and world record holder Ri Song Gum, the 49kg event was a highly competitive contest.