Mirabai Chanu wins silver medal: PM Modi & President Kovind congratulate weightlifter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind have expressed their happiness after Mirabai Chanu of India clinched silver in the weightlifting event in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

Mirabai Chanu finished the event with a total lift of 202 kg. China's Hoi Zhuihui won the gold with a total lift of 210kgs which is also a new Olympic record.

PM Modi & Ram Nath Kovind congratulate Mirabai Chanu

Taking to the micro-blogging site, PM Narendra Modi wrote that he could not have asked for a happier start to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and then added that the whole nation is 'elated' by Mirabai Chanu's stupendous performance after which PM Modi congratulated the athlete for winning the Olympics silver medal.

"Her success motivates every Indian", he added.

Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind took to his official Twitter handle and congratulated Mirabai Chanu for for starting the medal tally for India in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning silver medal in weightlifting.

Tokyo Olympics: Mirabai Chanu opens India's medal tally by clinching silver

Mirabai Chanu started the competition by lifting 84kg in her first attempt during the snatch event. Chanu's competitor Jourdan Delacruz of the USA lifted 83kg in her first attempt, however, the Indian lifter upped her ante to lift 87kg in her second attempt, while Delacruz in her second attempt lifted 86kg's. World Champion China's Hoi Zhuihui topped the standings at the halfway mark after lift 92kg after two attempts. Both Chanu and Delacruz failed to lift 89 kg in their third attempt allowing Zhuihui to stay top of the table. The Chinese weightlifter made a new Olympic record in the snatch by lifting 94kg in her third and final lift.

In the clean and Jerk event, Chanu who holds the world record of 119kg registered herself for 110kg lift. China's Zhuihui opted for 109kg lift, while Delacruz decided to go for 108kg. The US lifter however failed to lift the weight in all her three attempts. Zhuihui managed to lift 109 kg in her first attempt and upped her ante by registering for 114 kg in her second lift. Chanu cleared the 110kg lift confirming the silver medal for India in the event. In the second lift, Zhuihui created an Olympic record by lifting the 114 kg mark, which was broken by Chanu lifted 115kg in her second lift. In the third attempt, the Chinese lifter cleared 116 kg mark to create a new Olympic record. Chanu failed to lift 117 kg in her final attempt to ultimately settling for silver.