Mirabai Chanu finished fourth in the women's 49kg weightlifting at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with a total lift of 199kg. She had a best snatch lift of 88kg and a best clean and jerk lift of 111kg.
INDIA'S OLYMPIC MEDAL TALLY | INDIA AT PARIS OLYMPICS | LATEST OLYMPIC NEWS | KEY DATES AT PARIS 2024
China's Hou Zhihui won gold with an Olympic Record 207kg, and she did that in dramatic fashion with her final lift in the clean and jerk - an astonishing 117kg. Romania's Mihaela Valentina Cambei surprised many with a silver, lifting 205kg (93kg + 112kg). Thailand's Surodchana Khambao rounded off the podium with a total of 200kg (88kg + 112kg).
Mirabai's personal best is 207 (88kg + 119kg) but she has not been lifting anywhere close to that after an injury stricken 2023 and 2024, and that was evident through the clean and jerk section. Hopes of return to full fitness had been boosted, though, when she matched her personal best in the snatch.
At the end of the snatch section, Mirabai (88kg) was fourth behind Cambei (93kg), Zhihui (89kg) and Khambao (88kg). Khambao was ahead on the basis that her first lift was kilo heavier than Mirabai on the first attempt at snatch.
Mirabai started a steady weight. Both thighs taped up, she stalked out onto the stage, and lifted 85 kg with minimum fuss. For her next lift she went straight to her highest ever snatch lift -- 88kg but her knees buckled, and she was unable to lift the bar over her head.
In her third attempt, though, there was no hesitation, no buckling. Lifting it clean over her head, she held it before flashing a smile as the ref's green lights lit up.
Zhihui came out with an 89, failed that first lift before succeeding with her second attempt at 89 and failing at her third attempt at 93kg. This was a major surprise considering Hou's domination of this event at the world level. Cambei had the smoothest run of all, lifting 89kg, 91kg and a stunning 93kg all with seemingly no trouble.
In the clean and jerk, Mirabai walked out last with the highest first weight attempt at 111kg, lifted the clean but as she was jerking it over her head, her elbows buckled. Her second stayed at that same weight. She held the clean for a longer time than usual but jerked it above her head - and held it there till the green lights lit up.
Another day, another 4th place finish �� pic.twitter.com/BZ9ScjJtg0
- ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) August 7, 2024
At this point she was third with 199kg, but after Khambao lifted 112kg in her second attempt to go to 200kg. Forced by this to lift higher, she went to 114kg, but simply couldn't get purchase in her attempt to jerk the bar over her head.
Meanwhile, Cambei started with 106kg, before hurriedly shifting her second lift to 110kg and then ending with a comfortable lift of 112kg.
Huihui came out and started with a 110kg and made it look like a walk in the park. She failed at her second attempt at 117kg, but needing that weight to take gold, she came in clutch to lift 117kg.