Mirabai Chanu wins gold in Singapore, qualifies for CWG 55kg weight division

Competing in the 55kg weight class for the first time, Chanu lifted 191kg (86kg+105kg) to stand on top of the podium in an uncompetitive field.

FILE PHOTO: The 27-year-old has also qualified for the CWG in the 49kg weight category on the basis of her Commonwealth rankings.

Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu gave a ‘satisfactory’ performance in snatch on her way to claim the gold medal in women’s 55kg weight category at the Singapore weightlifting international meet, a Commonwealth Games qualifying event, here on Friday.

In her first competition after the Tokyo Olympic Games, Mirabai, who did 86kg in snatch and 105kg in clean and jerk to total 191kg, became eligible to compete in the 55kg weight category at the Birmingham Games later this year.

“Mira has qualified in both 49kg (as per her IWF Commonwealth ranking) and 55kg. It is up to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) to decide in which weight it wants Mira to compete,” said National coach Vijay Sharma.

“The target for us was to check Mira’s snatch technique. She did 81kg and 84kg before achieving 86kg (a National record), which was satisfactory. In clean and jerk, only one attempt was good enough.”

Sanket Sargar took the men’s 55kg gold with two Commonwealth records in 143kg in clean and jerk and 256kg in total. He did 113kg in snatch. 

C. Rishikanta Singh claimed the silver medal in 55kg. He lifted an aggregate of 246kg (including 110kg in snatch and 136kg in clean and jerk).