Mirabai Chanu Might Get Gold If Chinese Weightlifter Fails Dope Test

Picture courtesy Twitter

New Delhi: Mirabai Chanu, who won a silver in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday could end up with a gold.

If China’s Zhihui Hou, who won gold in the 49kg category at the Tokyo International Forum fails the dope test, Chanu will be awarded the coveted yellow metal.

Hou has reportedly been asked to stay back in Tokyo for the tests.

Chanu had ended India’s 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics. She lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. With this, she exorcised the ghosts of the 2016 Games where she had failed to log a single legitimate lift.

China’s Hou Zhihui lifted 210kg (94kg+116kg), while Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia took home the bronze with an effort of 194kg (84kg+110kg).