Tokyo: Mirabai Chanu ended India’s 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics by clinching a silver medal in the 49kg category to open India’s account here today. The 26-year-old lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

With this, she exorcised the ghosts of the 2016 Games where she had failed to log a single legitimate lift. The gold went to China’s Hou Zhihui with an effort of 210 kg, while Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia took home the bronze with an effort of 194 kg.