Yahoo Finance Tokyo Games, Day 3 Live: Silver medallist Mirabai Chanu returns to a hero's welcome
Star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu returned to India on Monday after becoming the first Indian to win a medal at Tokyo Olympics.
Chanu won silver in the women's 49 kg category to open the country's account at the Games.
#WATCH | Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu receives a warm welcome as the staff at the Delhi airport cheered for her upon her arrival from #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/VonxVMHmeo
— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2021
Meanwhile, China weightlifter Zhihui Hou who bagged gold in the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, will be tested by anti-doping authorities and if she fails the test, India's Mirabai Chanu will be awarded gold.
"She has been asked to stay in Tokyo and the test will be done. The test is definitely happening," a source in the know of developments told ANI. China's Zhihui Hou had bagged gold on Saturday with a total of 210kg and created a new Olympic Record.
The rules clearly state, if an athlete fails the doping test, then the athlete who has won silver, will be awarded the gold.
Sumit Nagal was shown the door by World number two Daniil Medvedev as the Russian won the contest in straight sets(6-2, 6-1). Indian Skeet shooters Angad Bajwa and Mairaj Ahamd were knocked out after they finished 18th and 25th respectively.
After beating Kazakhstan 6-2, the Indian trio of Atanu Das, Pravin Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai lost in straight sets against the top seeds at the Yumenoshima Park. (Click here for Day 3 schedule of Indian athletes)
India's first medallist at the Tokyo Olympics Mirabai Chanu and her coach Vijay Sharma on Sunday thanked the central government for its sustained support over the last five years which resulted in her silver-winning performance.
Mirabai (49 kg) became the second weightlifter from the country after Karnam Malleswari in 2000 to end up on the Olympic podium.
Mirabai's training stint in the United States cost Rs 70 lakh and she was flown out one day before the country imposed travel restrictions on Indian travellers due to rising cases of COVID-19 in April and May.
This decision to send Mirabai to the USA was taken in a matter of a few hours after it became apparent that the country would close down for Indian travellers.
