On a day when the entire nation was engulfed in despair over Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, another heartbreak loomed as the clock struck 11 PM.
With 1.4 billion hearts throbbing with shared sorrow, a glimmer of hope rested on the shoulders of Tokyo silver medalist Saikom Mirabai Chanu. The weightlifter, poised to lift not just barbells but the spirits of a grieving nation, was expected to bring home a medal. But fate, it seems, had other plans.
It was another heart-wrenching fourth-place finish for an Indian athlete at the Paris Olympics. Mirabai Chanu, who had battled multiple injuries to reach the quadrennial event, concluded the competition with a score of 199 kg in the women’s 49kg event. Her final attempt at lifting 114 kg in the clean and jerk phase fell short, sealing her fate.
Once again, an Indian athlete faced the agony of a narrow miss in Paris, returning home empty-handed. Just 1 kg—1 kg was all that stood between Mirabai and the Thai lifter who claimed the bronze.
In the snatch phase, Mirabai Chanu made a bold start, effortlessly lifting 85 kg to match Dominican Republic’s Beatriz Piron for the highest lift of the night. The two were neck and neck until a Thai lifter surged ahead with an 86 kg lift on her first attempt.
Determined to outdo her Tokyo performance of 87 kg, Chanu aimed for 88 kg on her second try but fell short. However, she persevered and successfully lifted 88 kg on her final snatch attempt, temporarily holding the highest score of the night.
The clean and jerk phase proved challenging as Chanu struggled to lift 111 kg and then missed her last-ditch attempt at 114 kg. Despite her relentless efforts, the medal remained elusive.
As the barbells clattered to the ground, Mirabai, who usually masks her inner struggles with a charming smile, was overcome with emotion and burst into tears.
“I tried my best to get a medal for India but it was not in my destiny," she would say.
After the event, Mirabai revealed that the third day of her period had left her feeling weak and affected her performance.
"I am happy with the performance... I tried my best to give my 100 to give India a medal but. I managed this despite having very little time for recovery after my injury. It was the third day of my period and in Tokyo it was my second day so that also affects your body a bit,” she revealed.
Though the 30-year-old didn’t make it to the podium, her fourth-place finish spoke volumes. It was a testament to her resilience, proving that no matter how many times life—especially injuries—knocks her down, rising up is woven into the very fabric of Mirabai Chanu’s spirit.
"Everything was going well for me in the warm up. I gave my best in snatch (88kg). Clean and jerk was also going very well. I fumbled a bit in my first jerk... While walking on the stage, I was feeling a little weak because of the third day of my period. It was going well; whatever the coach said, I did. It is just destiny that a medal slipped out of my hand," she told the media.
Reflecting on the 2022 Asian Games, where she collapsed mid-lift, it’s hard to believe that anyone would have predicted her return to the Olympics. Even a painful hip injury couldn't break her resolve.
Despite her eagerness to compete at the summer games, she approached her comeback with meticulous strategy and preparation. For the 2024 season, she chose to focus her efforts on a single event—the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand. There, she finished 12th with a combined lift of 184 kg.
Chanu’s personal best totals 205 kg, with 86 kg in the snatch and 119 kg in the clean and jerk, and she boasts an 88 kg record in the snatch. Despite these impressive figures, her performance in the injury-plagued 2023 and 2024 seasons fell short of her peak. Yet, her comeback to the Olympics, fully fit notwithstanding a string of debilitating injuries, embodies the ability to rise from the depths of adversity.
Now, as the curtain falls on the Paris chapter of Mirabai’s journey, whether she will vie for another chance at the next Games remains uncertain. Perhaps the future should not weigh heavily on her now.
Regardless of her future choices, the legacy she has forged will resonate for years to come.
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