Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu narrowly missed securing her second Olympic medal when a failed lift in her final attempt dashed her hopes, resulting in a fourth-place finish in the women's 49kg category on Wednesday.
Turning 30 on Thursday, Mirabai lifted a total of 199kg (88kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk) at the South Paris Arena, falling short by 3kg compared to her 202kg lift that earned her a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Out of her six attempts, she successfully completed only three lifts, with just one successful lift in the clean and jerk.
The former world champion remained a strong contender for a medal after the snatch event but her inability to lift 114kg in her final clean and jerk attempt proved costly. Success in that lift would have secured her the bronze medal.
"I am happy with the performance because I managed this despite having very little time for recovery," Mirabai told reporters. "I was managing 85 in practice and I did it in the competition too. I was confident about clean and jerk also. It was my third day of the women's problem and that also affects you a bit," she said.
Mirabai followed the strategy laid out by her coach. "It was going good, whatever the coach said I did. It is just destiny that I did not get medal, I did my best," she said, smiling.
China's Hou Zhihui broke the clean and jerk Olympic record, successfully defending her title with a total of 206kg (89kg in snatch and 117kg in clean and jerk). Romanian Mihaela Cambei claimed the silver with a total of 205kg (93kg+112kg) while Surodchana Khambao took the bronze with a total of 200kg (88kg+112kg).
Wearing gold earrings shaped like Olympic rings given to her by her mother before the Rio Games, Mirabai began with a lift of 85kg in the snatch, which she completed smoothly. Despite an injury-plagued lead-up to the Paris Games, she managed to stay competitive after the snatch section, though it has always been her weakest event. She missed her second attempt to match her personal best of 88kg but succeeded in her final attempt.
Cambei led after the snatch section with a lift of 93kg, while Zhihui, with only two successful lifts, was 4kg behind at 89kg.
Mirabai had a shaky start in the clean and jerk. She was the last to make her first attempt, managing to clean 111kg but failing the jerk. She succeeded on her second attempt at the same weight, much to the relief of her and the Indian coaches. However, she failed her final attempt at 114kg, which was 5kg less than her personal best.
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