'It was like a dream when PM Modi called and congratulated me': Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu opened India's medals tally at the Olympics on Saturday (July 24) as she bagged a silver in the Women's 49kg category at Tokyo International Forum. Chanu lifted a total of 202 kg (87kg in snatch and 115kg in clean and jerk) during her four successful attempts across the competition. China's Zhihui Hou bagged gold with a total of 210kg and created a new Olympic Record while Indonesia's Windy Cantika Aisah grabbed bronze with a total of 194kg.

WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo interviewed Mirabai Chanu after her momentous feat, where she said that she has come a long way since the Rio Olympics 2016 where she hadn't won any medal. She was disappointed then but was motivated by her peers to give her best this time and become a world champion.

She also said, "It was like a dream when PM Modi called and congratulated me." She also said, "I forgot everything when i stood at the podium after winning."

Indian Olympics silver medalist Mirabai Chanu to WION's @DiggySinghDeo: "I only focused on giving my best performance"#Olympics #TokyoOlympics #Olympics2020 #MirabaiChanu pic.twitter.com/IYcRnMjjtF

— WION (@WIONews) July 24, 2021

She thanked everyone from her hometown who prayed for her win and also said that she would continue training harder now.

With this monumental silver medal, Chanu has become the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari bagged bronze in the 69kg category at the 2000 Sydney Games when the weightlifting arena was opened to women for the first time.