Olympics 2020 | Mirabai Chanu has what it takes, believes Malleswari
Karnam Malleswari believes that Saikhom Mirabai Chanu can be the strongest contender for a weightlifting medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
Malleswari, who was the first Indian woman athlete ever to win a medal in the Olympics in the 2000 edition, says Mirabai can well bring cheer to the country, going by her performance sheet. “Any Olympics is not going to be easy as there is a different kind of pressure. But the feeling of representing your country in such an event supersedes everything else and often spurs you to take you to the next level,” the champion weightlifter said in a chat with The Hindu.
“You need a little bit of luck on the day, but you can look to that only after putting in the effort,” she said.
Looking back on her Olympics journey, Malleswari felt that if she had competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics — when weightlifting was introduced — she would have won gold.
“I was at the peak of my career. Honestly, I was aiming for the gold. However, it [the bronze] still stands as the greatest achievement of my career.
“To stand on the medal podium in my first Olympics is not something I will easily forget. It was truly emotional and fresh in my memory,” Malleswari said.
