India wins first medal as Chanu Mirabai bags silver in women's weightlifting
TOKYO, July 24 -- Ending India's wait for its first medal in the Tokyo Olympics medal, 26-year old Indian weightlifter Chanu Mirabai on Saturday won a silver medal in the women's 49 kg weightlifting competition. The Indian athlete lifted a total weight of 202kg.
China's Hou Zhihui, who picked a combined weight total of 210kgs, secured a gold medal.
This is India's best start since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as the country has not won any medal, let alone a silver in the first two days of the games in the past, Anadolu Agency reported.
Minutes after she secured the medal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and hailed her performance. In a tweet, PM Modi said that the Manipur weightlifter would motivate other Indian athletes.
President of India Ramnath Kovind also took to Twitter to congratulate Mirabai Chanu.
-- BERNAMA
