Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu has been elected as the Chairperson of the Athletes Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). This is a big honour for the champion lifter, who is now ready to represent and speak up for all Indian weightlifters.

Sharing her thoughts on the new role, Mirabai said, "I express my immense gratitude to the Indian Weightlifting Federation for electing me as the chairperson of the Athletes Commission of the federation. The opportunity to represent and uphold the voice of fellow weightlifters is a matter of great pride for me."

She also promised to work with full dedication and added, "I pledge to take the responsibilities that come with the role seriously. I will work towards spreading the athletes' voices and viewpoints across all key channels to ensure we can continue to focus on the sport without being distracted by external factors."

A champion’s journey

Mirabai Chanu is one of India’s most successful weightlifters. She won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 in the 49 kg category after lifting a total of 210 kg. She is only the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mirabai missed out on a medal. She later explained that she had weakness due to her menstrual cycle, which affected her performance.

She has also had great success in other international events. Mirabai won gold at the Commonwealth Games in both 2018 and 2022. She became World Champion in 2017 and won silver again in 2022. She has also earned multiple medals at the Commonwealth Championships.

The only medal missing from her collection is an Asian Games medal. She came close in 2023 but suffered a hip injury and finished fourth.

Now, as the Chairperson of the Athletes Commission, Mirabai Chanu hopes to continue contributing to the sport by supporting and guiding fellow athletes.

 

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