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Tokyo 2020: The earrings that brought luck to Mirabai Chanu was her mother's sacrifice

With this, Chanu exorcised the ghosts of the 2016 Games where she had failed to log a single legitimate lift.

Mirabai Chanu

Bengaluru, July 24: There is more to it than meets the eye in Mirabai Chanu's historic silver medal winning effort at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Behind that radiant smile, Chanu's gold earrings shaped like Olympic rings were as striking, a gift from her mother who sold her own jewellery for them five years ago.

The hope was that the earrings would bring her good luck.

Who is Mirabai Chanu? Know The Success Story, Age, State, World RankingsWho is Mirabai Chanu? Know The Success Story, Age, State, World Rankings

It did not happen at the Rio 2016 Games, but Chanu made the little sacrifice count in Tokyo on Saturday (July 24) with a silver medal and Saikhom Ongbi Tombi Leima has struggled to stop her tears from flowing ever since.

"I saw the earrings on TV, I gave them to her in 2016 before the Rio Olympics. I've made it for her from the gold pieces and savings I've so that it brings luck and success," Leima told PTI news agency from her home in Manipur.

Tokyo 2020: Weightlifting: India's first medal in Tokyo as Mirabai Chanu clinches silverTokyo 2020: Weightlifting: India's first medal in Tokyo as Mirabai Chanu clinches silver

Chanu ended India's 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics by clinching a silver medal in the 49kg category to open the country's account at Tokyo 2020 Games.

The 26-year-old lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari's bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

With this, Chanu exorcised the ghosts of the 2016 Games where she had failed to log a single legitimate lift.

The Chanu household at Nongpok Kakching village, around 25km from state capital Imphal, visitors had been trickling in since Friday despite the curfew caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chanu was on video call from the weightlifting arena in Tokyo before her event began and she had sought blessings from her parents. "She (Chanu) rarely comes home because of training and so we've made a whastapp group to communicate with each other," said Chanu's cousin Aroshini.

"This morning, she had a video call with all of us and she bowed down and sought blessings from her parents. "She said 'bless me to win a gold medal for the country'. They gave their blessings. It was a touching moment."

It was indeed!

Story first published: Saturday, July 24, 2021, 15:24 [IST]
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