Mirabai Chanu Falls Short of Bronze in 49kg Weightlifting at Paris Olympics, As Taiwanese Lifter Fang Wan-ling Makes Headlines

News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/8th August 2024

In a dramatic turn of events at the Paris Olympics, Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, finishing in fourth place in the women’s 49kg category. The competition saw Chanu battling fiercely but ultimately falling just 1kg short of a medal, as Taiwanese lifter Fang Wan-ling also made headlines with impressive national records.

Mirabai Chanu, who had previously secured a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, began her campaign with a solid performance in the Snatch event. She successfully lifted 85kg on her first attempt and aimed for 88kg on her second, which she initially failed to achieve. However, Chanu demonstrated resilience by hitting 88kg on her third attempt, positioning herself comfortably in third place behind China’s Hou Zhihui and Romania’s Cambei Mihaela Valentina, who lifted 89kg and 93kg respectively.

The Clean-and-Jerk event proved to be more challenging. Chanu initially planned to lift 107kg but decided to push for 111kg, aiming to secure a medal. Unfortunately, her first attempt ended in failure due to a faulty stance, but she managed to complete the lift on her second try. This put her total at 199kg, momentarily tying her with Zhihui for second place. In a crucial final attempt, Chanu aimed for 114kg, but stumbled and failed to complete the lift, leaving her total unchanged and just 1kg behind Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao, who edged her out for the bronze.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese weightlifter Fang Wan-ling made notable achievements in her own right. Fang finished in sixth place in the same weight category but set new national records for both snatch and total lifts. Despite not securing a medal, her performance was a significant milestone for Taiwanese weightlifting.

Chanu’s close fourth-place finish is a bitter disappointment for India, especially given her history of success and the high expectations surrounding her. Her recent performances, including a subpar showing at the IWF World Cup after a six-month injury layoff, were closely watched by fans and experts alike. Despite her challenges, Chanu remains a formidable athlete with a history of strong performances on the international stage.

The Paris Olympics have been eventful, with significant achievements and heartbreaking near-misses. As the games continue, athletes like Mirabai Chanu and Fang Wan-ling are reminders of the intense competition and dedication required to excel at such a high level.