Mirabai didn't have INR 10 to go back home while training in Imphal, Chanu's childhood coach reveals Olympic medallist's financial struggles

From learning lifting techniques with bamboo sticks to traveling in local trucks to reach the training center, it has been an arduous journey for India’s Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu.

The Olympian from Imphal had her fair share of hardships but never gave up. Her success on the world stage is no accident. Mirabai's dedication towards excellence was evidenced every single day when she traveled from her village on the back of local trucks to train in Imphal.

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Mirabai's childhood coach S Brojendro Singh said:

“Mirabai learned the fundamentals of competitive weightlifting like snatch with bamboo sticks in her formative years, around 2006.”

Brojendro joined the state sports department in 2006. The weightlifting coach, from Imphal, recalls how a diminutive village girl had approached him to lift weights back then. The coach said he was hesitant at first as he never knew about her sports background. However, during the selection trials later, he was impressed with Mirabai’s agility and determination.

“I didn’t enquire why she was keen to lift weight. But asked her to undergo a test if she wants to join the training centre. Mirabai, who was a seventh class student then, readily agreed. During the selection trials, I was impressed with her reflexes and asked her to join the training centre,” recalled the 46 year old coach.

Since the weightlifting training center at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal was the main training venue in the region, aspiring youngsters from nearby villages came to the main city to pursue their dreams of making sports their career.

“Mirabai was among the 30 young lifters, including 20 girls in the 12-17 age group in the 2006 batch. Since the parents of almost all the athletes attending the training sessions were either small time village farmers or doing odd jobs, it was a big struggle to practice event like weightlifting,” said the coach.

According to Brojendro, Mairabai’s father was a small-time farmer while her mother ran a tea-shop in Nongpok Kakching village, 17km away from Imphal. Since the first training session started at six in the morning, Mirabai often had to travel in local trucks to reach the venue on time as there was no other mode of transport early in the morning.

“Early morning there was no local transport. But Mirabai didn’t miss her training. She traveled in local trucks ferrying sand or wood to reach the training venue,” recalled the weightlifting coach.

After her morning training session, Mirabai didn’t go back home due to lack of funds, said the coach. She stayed back at the training center to attend the evening session and went home after that.

“It was tough life for a young lifter. A long day away from home. The local fare must be Rs 10 on one side from her village to Imphal. After her morning training, Mirabai stayed back at the training center. She used to carry her tiffin box. Had lunch at the training centre. And go back home after the evening training,” recalled Brojendro.

With no financial support or resources, the formative years of training for all the lifters were tough, said the coach.

“Since there was no money to buy new training equipment, the athletes shared equipment during competitions. Even I couldn’t help the lifters financially because I was on contract. I had no money as sometimes my salary got delayed by six months. It was a difficult time for me as well,” revealed Brojendro.

Years of hard work paid off for Mirabai Chanu

Weightlifting - Olympics: Day 1 - Mirabai Chanu has won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics

Things changed for good for Mirabai in 2011 when she competed at the junior Asian weightlifting championships. She was drafted into the national camp. But the big break came in 2014 when she won gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

“She got a job and financial rewards from her gold winning performance from the state as well as central government. Since then she has been marching ahead,” said the coach.

Even Brojendro was upgraded to regular coach in 2016. Despite winning accolades and staying in the national camp since 2011, Mirabai makes a point of keeping in touch with her grassroots-level coach.

“Last month when Mirabai went to the USA for advance training, she sent me a text message. When she reached Tokyo to compete for a medal, I got a message from her. I’m happy that she is criss-crossing the globe,” said Brojendro.

Brojendro said the celebrations of Mirabai’s silver winning feat at the Tokyo Olympic Games are on hold due to the pandemic and lockdown in Imphal. He concluded by saying that Mirabai's parents were extremely happy with the success of their daughter, who has made an entire nation proud on the world's biggest sporting stage. Brojendro said:

“I called up Mirabai’s parents they were happy. It is a good day for all of us,”