Asian Games 2023 Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu finishes fourth, Bindrayani Devi fifth

The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist got injured after her last clean-and-jerk attempt.

Mirabai Chanu finished a heartbreaking fourth at the weightlifting arena in the women's 49kg category at the Asian Games 2023. She managed to lift a total of 191(83 in snatch and 108 in clean and jerk). Mirabai, in the start list, registered a snatch weight of 80kgs, but she added three extra kilos and started her first attempt with 83kg. She successfully lifted it. She then went on with 86kgs in her second attempt. However, she failed to lift it. In the third attempt, she also failed to lift 86kgs and hence finished with only 83kgs. She was placed sixth after the snatch and required a massive 115kgs+ lift to have a shot at a medal.

In the clean and Jerk she started the proceedings with 108kgs. She lifted it well and two out of three judges were impressed and the lift was given valid. She moved the weight to 117kgs on the second attempt which would have assured her of the bronze medal (PB 119kgs). However, she failed in her second attempt. She then came back on the third attempt but fell down and got injured. She had to be carried by her coach.

Ri Song Gum of North Korea finished first with a world record of 226kgs. She even created the world record of 124kgs in the clean and jerk category. The silver went to China's Jiang Huihua with a lift of 213kgs and the Bronze was given to Thailand's Thanyathon Suckcharoen with a lift of 199kgs.

In the women's 55kgs Bindrayani Devi finished fifth with a total of 196kgs (83 in snatch and 113 in clean and Jerk). Bindrayni started her campaign with a lift of 80kgs. In the second attempt, she failed to lift 83kgs but in the third attempt, she was successful with 83kgs. She finished ninth after the snatch. In the clean and jerk category, she started with 108kgs in her first attempt and lifted it successfully. The second attempt was unsuccessful as she failed to lift 113 kg. However, in the third attempt, she lifted 113 kg and finished fifth.

Hyongyong of North Korea finished first with a world record of 233kgs. She broke the world record in both categories by lifting 103 in snatch and 130 in clean and jerk. The silver went to Ri Suyon of North Korea. Hou Zhihui of China won the bronze medal with a lift of 210 kg.