When Mirabai Chanu’s Olympic mettle was realised on day one of training at the age of 12
The 26-year-old is the lone Indian competing in weightlifting at Tokyo 2020
Mirabai Chanu was 12 when she first visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Imphal at the Khuman Lampak Stadium. She went on the lookout for archery training but could not find any on the said day.
Incidentally, she saw some clips of Kunjarani Devi, who won the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold in weightlifting, and visited the SAI centre again.
“Mirabai came to the coaching academy in 2006, when she was 12 years old. I was involved with the talent identification programme then. We ran specific physical tests: running, jumping, squatting, explosiveness. Mirabai aced that test. She is also very strong mentally. We realised then that she had the ability to compete at the Olympics one day,” Anita Chanu, who competed at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, told Olympics.com.
Mirabai trained at Chanu’s centre for four years and would daily traverse 20-odd km between her home which was based in Nongpok Kakching and Imphal. On lucky days, she would share a tuk-tuk or on most days, she had to cycle or hitch a ride on a truck, crossing straw-strewn fields and fish farms before reaching the capital city of Manipur.
According to Anita Chanu, an average Manipuri has just about the right build to be a weightlifter, especially for the lower weight categories as they are “short but with good muscle mass.”
“Our youth have good discipline, dedication and yes, killer instinct,” she quipped.
But the going was not easy for Mirabai. Her father, Saikhom Kriti Singh worked in the Public Works Department and had six children to raise. And his salary was just about enough for hand-to-mouth existence.
“A few months after she started training at the academy, I travelled to her house and spoke with her parents. I requested them to keep sending her to the academy and told them I will try my best to make sure that one day she comes back with an Olympic medal. They agreed to send her for training after that. She is from a very poor family, but they supported her completely in every way they could,” said Anita.
Mirabai’s determination was second to none. In fact, she would never give up trying until she perfected the drill if she faced any difficulty.
“She used to come for training every day, travel 20-odd kms from her house to the academy. If in training she made some mistake, she would keep trying till she got it right. In the end it does not matter how much a coach tells you what you have to do, you need that inner drive and Mirabai always had that,” reminisced the prestigious Dhyanchand award winner.
Her dreams came true when she made the cut for Rio 2016. However, things didn’t go as planned. She failed to lift the weight in her designated three attempts in clean and jerk section and was the only weightlifter amongst 12 who could not finish her event.
“She was very disheartened after Rio Games. She had come to meet me as well, I told her whatever has happened is in the past. Now put all your energy in the performances ahead. She's a very disciplined child and got back in the game,” Anita Chanu shared her advice to Mirabai after the disappointment at Rio 2016.
Every member of the Anita Chanu Weightlifting Academy has been praying for Mirabai Chanu to succeed at Tokyo 2020.
“Weightlifting is quite popular in Manipur. When Mirabai came to our academy first, we were already working with almost 50 lifters. She has a lot of support here and everyone here is praying that she wins an Olympic medal,” Anita said.
Mirabai Chanu will look to uproot the demons of Rio 2016 and instead write a memorable chapter at Tokyo 2020.
When will Mirabai Chanu be seen at Tokyo 2020?
Mirabai Chanu will compete in the women's weightlifting 49kg category event on Saturday, July 24.