TIL Desk Sports/ Former world champion weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu notched up the women’s 49kg category gold medal to open India’s account at the 6th Qatar International Cup in Doha on Friday.
The 25-year-old Chanu won gold with an effort of 194kg in the Olympic qualifying silver level event, the points from which will come in handy when the final rankings for 2020 Tokyo Olympics cut are done.
To qualify for Tokyo, a weightlifter must compete in at least one event in each of the three periods of six months (spread over November 2018 to April 2020), at least six events overall and in at least one gold and another silver level event.
In the men’s 67kg category, India’s Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the silver medal with a total lift of 306kg (140kg in snatch and 166kg in clean and jerk). Chanu’s performance on Friday was, however, way below her personal best of 201kg which she lifted during this year’s World Championships in Thailand.
