Bindyarani Devi lifts silver at Asian Championships
Bindyarani Devi opened India's account at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jinju, South Korea with 55kg silver on Saturday. She lifted a total of 194kg (83kg snatch + 111kg clean and jerk). Chinese Taipei's Chen Guan Ling took gold (204 – 90 + 114) and Vietnam's Vo Thi Quynh Nhu (192 – 88 + 104) the bronze.
“I'm happy with my performance today. I had injured my left knee before the trials. Once that was okay I had issues with my right one so my training was affected and I couldn't give my best," she told PTI. Although it is a non-Olympic weight category, it was still creditable after main medal prospect Mirabai Chanu finished sixth in 49kg.
Bindyarani said: “Today thanks to god my body was feeling good before the competition."
The 24-year-old though couldn't share the joy of the medal with her family in Imphal, capital of violence-hit Manipur. Bindyarani hasn't been able to speak to her family for the past two days because of the internet shutdown following the ethnic violence that has swept the state.
“I haven't been able to speak to my parents. My mother blesses me before all my competitions. But today, I couldn't talk to her," a sobbing Bindyarani said. "The internet is shut, I haven't been able to talk to them, and I am scared. Even today before going for the competition I felt like crying," she said.
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist's father is a farmer, who also owns a grocery shop. She also has a brother, a sister and a sister-in-law back home.
“There was no violence around my house the last time I spoke, but now I don't know what is happening. When I spoke to my family three days ago, this issue was not so big. But things have become quite bad.”
Manipur was struck by violent confrontations when members of the Kuki tribe and the majority Meitei community clashed on Wednesday. Bindyarani, who belongs to the Meitei community, hails from Langol Ningthou Leikai on the outskirts of Imphal, which is near a flashpoint. A lot of people of the Kuki tribe live near her residence and several houses have been burnt down.
On Sunday, Commonwealth Games champion Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg) will be in action. The 20-year-old has given an entry total weight of 300kg.
Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai had a forgettable outing on Friday as she faltered in snatch and chose not to make her last two clean-and-jerk attempts, eventually finish sixth.
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