Mirabai Chanu was going for gold from first lift: Karnam Malleswari

NEW DELHI: After weightlifter, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu made India proud by handing the country its very first gold in the ongoing 2018 Commonwealth Games, former Olympic Bronze medalist Karnam Malleswari on Thursday heaped praise on her saying that weightlifter's each lift was perfect and that she was going for the gold from the very first attempt.

Talking to ANI, Malleswari said that Chanu passed all her six lifts quiet confidently and that she handled the pressure quiet well.

"She was going for the gold from the very first lift. Her each lift was perfect. She handled it really well. She passed all the six lifts very confidently. I was watching her performance. Chanu is doing pretty well," the former weightlifter said.

Following Chanu's spectacular display at Commonwealth Games, Malleswari believes that they could now expect a better performance from her in 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  

"I was very upset with her performance in Rio Olympics. She could have done really well in Rio, but she washed out. However, her performance is getting better with each passing event. So, we can expect a good result from her in Tokyo 2020 Olympics," she said.

While Chanu bagged the country's first gold medal in the women's weightlifting 48kg category event of the CWG at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia,  P Gururaja had knocked off India's medal tally earlier by clinching a silver medal in the men's 56kg category.

And Malleshwari said that she was expecting the medals from the duo, adding that it would help in boosting the confidence of other players heading into their respective events.

"We knew that medals would surely come, but we were a bit nervous. We have made a great start in the Commonwealth Games by bagging two medals--first by P Gururaja and second by Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. This will help in boosting the confidence, not only for weightlifters but for all the athletes who are participating in the prestigious Games. So, there is a motivation that as the beginning is good then the end will also be a good one. I am also expecting a medal in 62kg category," the former weightlifter said.

On the opening day of the event, Chanu made everything look so easy as she snapped the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games' weightlifting record by lifting a total of 196 kg--picking 86 kg snatch and 110 kg in clean-and-jerk.

The previous best record at the Games was held by Augustine Nwaokolo of Nigeria, who lifted 175 kg in 2010 event.

The Day One of the event also saw India beat Sri Lanka by 3-0 in the badminton mixed-team championship.