Mirabai Chanu extends gratitude to truck drivers who gave her lift during her training days

Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 29 (EMN): Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who won India’s first medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics said on Thursday that she wanted to seek blessings of the truck drivers, who provided her regular lifts to the training centre at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal.

‘So I’m looking for those truck drivers carrying sand, so that I can try my best to extend whatever help they may require now. What I’m today is also because of their help as well,’ she said on the sideline of an event at her Nongpok Kakching residence in Manipur’s Imphal East district.

According to Mirabai’s mother Saikhom Ongbi Tombi Devi (58), who runs a tea stall in the village, truck carrying sand and stones that passed through their village would give her daughter a lift to Imphal, where she went to train at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex. As a result, whatever little amount the family provided her to bear the travel fare between home and training centre at Imphal was spent on her diet during her initial years of training.

Mirabai, who won the country’s first silver medal in women’s 49 kg weightlifting with a total lift of 202 kg at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, was accorded a hero’s welcome, when she returned home on July 27.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh led by well-wishers including the family of Mirabai received the star weightlifter and handed a cheque of INR 1 crore as cash reward and appointment order of Addl. SP to her during a state-level facilitation function in Imphal.