There was a nervous energy about Mirabai Chanu on September 30 as she stepped onto the platform for the clean and jerk. Before she could powder her hands with the chalk, she tried to set her weight belt in place. With the clock ticking down, she struggled to find the right hole to buckle the belt around her waist, losing her focus in the process.
When she moved into position and lifted the barbell weighing 117kg on her collarbones in a squat, her hip gave away, crumbling to the floor and falling on her back. As she lay there, the staff came running with boards to cover her and help take the eyes off of her. Finally, she had to be assisted to the end of the platform before her coach Vijay Sharma lifted her up and carried her away to the back.
Sharma had warned her not to push herself in the clean and jerk. Her two failed attempts in snatch after a hip and thigh injury meant, Mirabai had to lift 117kg in clean and jerk to push for, forget the gold, a bronze medal. Despite the physical condition, she started strongly by lifting 108kg in her first attempt — she was originally set to start with 105kg — then asked for a 117kg barbell next.
