Mirabai Chanu, Saikhom
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Dope tests
2014-17: 30 tests; Mirabai failed none
Newly-crowned world champion, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, finds herself in the crosshairs of International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada). The diminutive Manipuri lifter, who recently won the gold medal in California in 48kg category, has surprisingly been subjected to dope testing four times within a span of justone month.
This is probably the first time that an Indian athlete has been targetted thus. Mirabai, who ended India’s 22-year drought at the Worlds with her gold, has been subjected to back-to-backdope testing by ‘Dope ControlOfficers’ (DCOs) of Nada ever sinceshe returned home from Anaheim, California.
Mirabai’s blood and urine samples (out-ofcompetition) were first collected by DCOs the moment she reached the national camp in Patiala last Sunday. The very next day, on Monday, when Mirabai reachedKapurthala to participatein theInter-Railways competition, the same team of DCOs collected her urine sample during an in-competition testing, leaving the23-year-old perplexed as to what wrong she has done that Nada’s team was chasing her like this.
These two sample collections came soon after Mirabai’s blood and urine samples were collected twice – on two separate occasions – by the IWF, first on November 12 in Las Vegas where the Indian team had stationeditself for a preparatory camp ahead of the World Championships, and then on November 28 when the reigning Commonwealthchampion won thehistoric goldfor thecountry.
“As far as my memory goes, it has never happened in the history of Indian sports that an athlete has been subjected to back-to-back dope testing within 24 hours. It’s akin to putting an athlete under the cloud of suspicion. Within a month, she has been dope tested four times. Thisistotally unacceptable.
“The rule book says an athlete can be dope tested by DCOs as many times as they want, but collecting sampleswithin a span of 24 hours? I have never come across anything like this. Mirabai’s morale and confidence is down due to these frequent dope testing,” Indian Weightlifting Federation secretary Sahdev Yadav told TOI.
Yadav had another piece of shocking information to share. “In the last three years, Mirabai has been dope tested at least 30 times by the IWF and Nada under the suspicion that sheistaking performance enhancing drugs. We all know the truth that she has never failed a dope test.”
YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
2017
Gold at Weightlifting Championships
November 30, 2017: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
Chanu became only the second Indian weightlifter to win gold at the World Weightlifting Championships
Karnam Malleswari did it back in 1995
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has lifted a new world record of 194kg - 85kg snatch and 109kg clean-and-jerk - to lift gold at the World Weightlifting Championships, becoming only the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to achieve that feat.
Thailand's Sukcharoen Thunya won the silver medal with a total lift of 193, while Segura Ana Iris bagged bronze with 182kg.
World Championships weightlifting competition
Girl From Manipur Emulates Malleswari In World Championship
Mirabai Chanu, who missedher elder sister Shaya’s wedding on November 22, gave a special gift to her sibling. The iron lady from Manipur ended India’s 22-year drought with a gold medal in World Championships weightlifting competition in Anaheim, California.
The 23-year-old had a total lift of 194kg (snatch 85kg and 109kg in clean and jerk) toemerge triumphant in the 48kg category and became only the second Indian after Karnam Malleswari to achieve thisfeat. Mirabai alsobettered her personal best by 2kg.
“This gold is the best wedding gift I could have given to my elder sister Shaya. I missed her wedding on November 22 in Manipur because of this World Championships. I had come to California on November 12 to get battle ready as I wanted to erase the bad memories of my disappointing Rio Olympics campaign (where Mirabai had missed all three attempts in clean and jerk).
“Everyone back home was upset with my decision to miss mysister’s wedding. I can understand their anger. But I had told my parents that I would return home victorious and gift gold to mylovely sister. I kept the promise which I had made to myself. My mother just called up to say we are proud of your achievement and thewhole village iswaiting for your felicitation.” Mirabai told TOI from Anaheim.
The Indian pipped favourite Sukcharoen Thunya of Thailand by 1kg toclinch gold. The Thai girl had a total of 193kg, while Colombian Segura Ana Iris bagged bronze with a total of 182kg.
It was Mirabai’s second title in quick succession after her gold at the Commonwealth Senior Weightlifting Championships in Australia in September, which ensured her a berth in the Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai emulated Malleswari, who won gold in 1994 and 1995. The Sydney Olympics bronze medallist, who is the now a government observer, was delighted with Mirabai's achievement.
The Andhra girl, who took Indian weightlifting to new heights in the90s, toldTOIthat shehad expected Mirabai to win a medal at theRioOlympics as well. “I am extremely delighted by her feat. She is a very talented lifter. In fact, we were confident she would get us a medal at Rio last year. Her gold now will motivate many more lifters to believe that they can also do well at international level,” said Malleswari.
Unfortunately for India, Mirabai was one of the two lifters who failed to complete her lift in Rio. “We realised that she became very nervous in Rio. But now this gold at the Worlds will do a world of good to her confidence,” Malleswari said and added that three girls — Mirabai, Sanjitha Chanu and Matsa Santhosi — are bright prospects for India.
“We have high hopes from these three girls. They are in the right age group (23 years) and will win more medals for India in future,” Malleswari said.
Asked why the Indian weightlifters have failed to deliver in the last two decades, Malleswari said: “We’ve always had talented lifters in the country. But in my opinion, the combinations were not good. A good coach did not get a lifter to train or a talented lifter did not get the opportunity to train with a good coach. We are working to set things right and weightlifting will hopefully bring more medalsfor India soon.”
2018
Commonwealth Games
April 5, 2018: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
India’s first gold medal of the opening day of 2018 CWG came from world champion and CWG record holder Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
Chanu broke six records in six lifts to finish first in the women’s 48 kg with a combined effort of 196kg
This is Saikhom’s second CWG medal following the silver she won in Glasgow four years ago
India’s first gold medal of the opening day of the 2018 Commonwealth Games has come in stunning fashion from world champion and CWG record holder Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who broke six records in six lifts to finish first in the women’s 48 kg with a combined effort of 196kg to smash her previous career best of 194kg.
This is Saikhom’s second CWG medal following the silver she won in Glasgow four years ago, and was highlighted by a CWG and personal best lift of 86kg in the snatch category - all in the span of six minutes - and 110kg in the clean & jerk.
Her achievements went well past the CWG record of 175kg set by Nigeria’s Augustina Nwaokolo in Delhi in 2010.
Saikhom, who in February was crowned Weightlifter of the Year award at the Mahindra Scorpio Times of India Awards (TOISA) for her gold medal winning lift at last year’s World Weightlifting Championships, began with a CWG record lift of 81kg and then improved that to 84kg and finally 86kg, which surpassed her personal best of 85kg that had been recorded at last year’s World Championships.
This put Saikhom 10kgs ahead of the next competitor and saw her advance to the clean & jerk at first place. In this category, where at 103 her entry weight was considerably higher than others, Saikhom recorded lifts of 103, 107 and 110 to clear the competition by a long margin. Marie Ranaivosoa of Mauritius claimed silver with a total lift of 170kg (76 in snatch and 94 in clean & jerk) and bronze went to Sri Lanka’s Dinusha Gomes with a total lift of 155 (70 in snatch, 85 in clean & jerk).
Saikhom’s amazing performance came hours after fellow weightlifter Gururaja opened India’s account at the Gold Coast Games with a silver in the men’s 56kg event.
The 23-year-old Indian lifter - who works as a senior ticket checker with the Indian Railways - had qualified for the CWG with a national record lift of 194kg that won her gold at the World Weightlifting Championships, becoming just the second Indian since Karnaman Malleswari 22 years ago to do so.
Born in Imphal East, Manipur, Saikhom took up weightlifting in 2007 after being inspired by another pioneer of Indian weightlifting, Kunjarani Devi. It did not take much time for the young girl to make heads turn as she won gold in junior levels at the South Asian Junior Games and the 2011 International Youth Championship.
Her first major success at the international level came at the 2014 CWG, when she finished behind her team-mate Sanjita Chanu to take home a silver medal. This was followed by gold at the 2016 South Asian Games and the 2017 Commonwealth Championship.
Saikhom has widely been hailed as the successor to India’s first individual woman medalist at the Olympic Games, Malleshwari. This sensational record-setting performance at Gold Coast has enchanted her reputation multifold.
2019
Gold at EGAT Cup, Thailand
Golden comeback for Mirabai, February 8, 2019: The Times of India
World champion Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu on Thursday notched up a gold medal at the EGAT Cup in Thailand, making a strong comeback from the lower back injury that kept her out of action for more than half of 2018.
According to the information received here, Chanu won the 49kg category gold with a effort of 192 kg in the silver level Olympic qualifying event, the points from which will come in handy when the final rankings for Tokyo 2020 cut are done. “This is my first international event after recovering from injury. I am feeling 100 per cent fit but since this is first one after injury, it is not the best result,” Chanu said from Chiang Mai city.
“But this is just four kg less than my personal best of 196kg. I am quite satisfied and happy with my performance. I had won World Championships in 2017 with 194kg,” she added.
The 24-year-old Manipuri lifted 82kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium after recovering from the injury, which required extensive physiotherapy and kept her out of action for nine months. Japan's Miyake Hiromi (183kg) claimed the silver, while the bronze went to Papua New Guinea's Loa Dika Toua (179kg). While Hiromi is the Rio Olympics bronze-medallist Dika Toua won the 53kg category silver medl in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Chanu had missed the world championships last year owing to the injury which had also forced her out of the Asian Games in Jakarta. “My next target is the Asian Championships in China, followed by the world championships, which is very crucial for me,” Chanu said.
