Who is Mirabai Chanu? 5 things you didn't know about India's weightlifter

Mirabai Chanu is one of India's top female weightlifters and has won many international tournaments since her arrival onto the scene. Her major breakthrough came at the 2014 Glasgow games, where she won a silver, which set the tone for a great career ahead. Here are a few things you didn't know about the weightlifter.

Thank you @Media_SAI for the continuous support. https://t.co/azKAUYd0nd

— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) June 13, 2021

# 1 Mirabai Chanu's liking for sports at an early age

At a very early age, Chanu showed immense strength as she carried heavy bundles of firewood easily on her back and walked home without showing any signs of distress or complication.

Growing up in a small village in Manipur, Chanu was always inclined to sports and took up archery at a small age. After a while, she realized that weightlifting is something that she could really excel in and since then there was no looking back as she grew up to become India's top weightlifter.

Can Mirabai Chanu end India's 2-decade-long Olympic medal drought in weightlifting? (sportskeeda.com)

# 2 Mirabai Chanu and her role model

Mirabai Chanu hails from Manipur and the state has offered some of India's biggest sporting names and one such name is Kunjarani Devi, who is also an Olympian. Chanu idolized Devi and aspired to reach the very top of the sport just like her idol.

# 3 Mirabai Chanu is a Khel Ratna award recipient

Winning a Khel Ratna in India is a big honor for any sportsperson and Chanu did that within a few years of her arrival in competitive sports. The weightlifter was awarded the prestigious award in 2018 by the Government of India.

To add to the jubilation, she was also awarded the Padma Shri in the same year, which is India's fourth highest civilian honor.

#PresidentKovind confers the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2018 upon Ms Saikhom Mirabai Chanu in recognition of her outstanding achievements in Weightlifting•Gold Medal in CWG 2018•Gold medal in IWF World championship 2017•Silver medal in CWG 2014 pic.twitter.com/ywsFVwukl4

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 25, 2018

# 4 Mirabai Chanu is a world record holder

Olympian @mirabai_chanu, the 2017 World Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder in the clean & jerk in the 49 kg division, is eager to make her mark in the #TokyoOlympics.#Cheer4India@PMOIndia @KirenRijiju @WeAreTeamIndia @NBirenSinghWatch here- https://t.co/KXjVhUHOhs

— Khelo India (@kheloindia) July 4, 2021

Mirabai Chanu proved once again, why India is certain of a medal in weightlifting as she broke the world record for a clean and jerk lift in the 49 kg category in Uzbekistan. Chanu's first lift of 86 kg was followed by her world record 119 kg lift which helped her secure a bronze in the competition for lifting a total of 205 kgs.

While doing so, the weightlifter also broke her personal record of 203 kg which she set in the National Championship in 2020.

Asian Weightlifting Championships: Mirabai Chanu claims Bronze medal in 49kg with world record lift in 'clean and jerk' (sportskeeda.com)

# 5 Mirabai Chanu is a former world champion

I am happy with my performance at the Asian Championship 2021. Thank you everyone for your love and support. I will continue to work hard and improve myself. pic.twitter.com/9pJERrVj80

— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) April 18, 2021

Mirabai won the world championship in 2017 and has since won gold and silver in the commonwealth games held in 2014 and 2018. She is currently ranked second in the 49 kg category.

By the looks of it is in prime contention to finish at the podium and help India win its first weightlifting medal since Karna Malleshwari, who won the bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.