For the first time, three top sportspersons -- boxers M C Mary Kom and Vijender Singh, and wrestler Sushil Kumar -- were selected for the country's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. While the prestigious award was previously shared by two sportspersons in 1996-97 and 2002-03, Wednesday marked the first time that three were picked for the coveted honour for outstanding performances in 2008-09.
Kunjarani Devi will lead a young Indian women's weightlifting squad in next month's Commonwealth Games to be held in Melbourne.
The 19-year-old gave India its second gold medal in weightlifting by winning the 58 kg category.
The Indian women's team finished eighth in team standings in the World Weightlifting Championships.
Kunjarani Devi won the gold medal in the women's 48 kg category with an overall lift of 166 kg
The ace Indian woman lifter was way below her best in the 48kg class in the 17th women's Centennial Weightlifting World Championships.
The 36-year-old weightlifter is up in the 48 kg category on Saturday.
The 38-year-old Manipuri lifter dismisses suggestions that age could be a liability in her quest.
The postponement of the Tokyo Games and a break in training due to the COVID-19 lockdown last year brought with it a shoulder issue for the weightlifter that could have led to a completely different result, something Chanu had been worried about.
India's Saikhom Mirabai Chanu turned in a highly disappointing performance at the Rio Olympics, as she could not get an overall total in women's 48kg after failing to lift the weight in any of her three attempts in clean & jerk section. In a field of 12 lifters, she was one of two who did not finish (DNF) her event.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will have an outside chance of a podium finish for India when the weightlifter begins her campaign in the women's 48kg category at the Rio Olympic Games on Saturday.
Indian weightlifters Sivalingam Sathish Kumar and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu earned the right to compete at the Rio Olympics in men's and women's weight categories respectively after topping the selection trials. Selection trials were held in Patiala to choose one lifter each from men's and women's category across all weight divisions after India had earned two quota places for the Rio Games at Senior Asian Championships at Tashkent, Uzbekistan in April. Sathish earned the ticket for Rio after finishing on top among male lifters with a total of 336kg in 77kg weight division. He lifted 151kg in snatch and 185kg in clean & jerk.
As the curtains come down at the Tokyo Olympics, here's a glance at the medallists and those who came within touching distance of glory.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will start as overwhelming favourite to clinch the top prize in women's 48kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast next month.
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