An Olympic silver, two Commonwealth Games gold and one silver and other accolades – Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is already a champion. But what defines the 27-year-old Manipuri weightlifter is the generosity she possesses even after so laurels.
The Commonwealth Games is often referred to as the ‘Friendly Games’ and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu justified it precisely. After winning India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games 2022 gold in Birmingham on Saturday, Mirabai Chanu stayed at the weightlifting arena for more than three hours making fans happy.
While the whole India was celebrating her gold, Mirabai Chanu was busy obliging the fans at the arena. She posed for photos, gave autographs and even engaged in a split challenge with a six-year-old young supporter at the National Exhibition Centre.
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Mirabai Chanu was a perfect mascot for the ‘Friendly Games.’
“Kya karu? Main naa nahi bol sakti. (What to do? I just cannot say no). If fans approach me with so much love, I can never say no. For me, spectators are very important. It's because of them that this medal is so valuable,” Mirabai Chanu was quoted as saying to News Nine.
Mirabai Chanu is always a crowd’s favourite. Even when she was bossing the 49kg field, chants of ‘Mira, Mira, Oi, Oi, Oi’ reverberated the entire stadium. Expectedly, Mirabai Chanu aggregated a total of 201kg (88kg+113kg) to stamp her authority in the competition and achieve a Commonwealth Games record in the process.
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“They have a different look on their face when they see me. And I like doing that. So, for me that's important. I feel really happy that people come to see me,” she added. India added three more medals on the day – all from weightlifting.
