New Delhi, India, March 30, 2022: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has targeted gold at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in September after being named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2021 on Monday.
The Olympic silver medallist beat golfer Aditi Ashok, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, Para-shooter Avani Lekhara and badminton player PV Sindhu to the award.
Chanu became the first Indian weightlifter to win a silver medal at an Olympic Games when she finished second in the 49kg category in Tokyo.
In her reaction to winning the award, Chanu said: “I am currently training in the United States. I will give my best to win gold at this year’s Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Thank you to BBC India for honouring me with the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award.”
Born in Manipur state in the north-east of India, the 27-year-old athlete learned her craft by carrying firewood from the hills to her home.
“My brothers used to carry the wood in multiple trips,” she told the BBC. “But I used to carry it all in one go.”
Chanu won the gold medal in the 48kg division at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim, and followed up with Commonwealth Games gold in Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018.
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, who hosted the awards ceremony in New Delhi, congratulated Chanu saying she is a fantastic sportswoman and a deserving winner of the award.
The five nominees were selected by a panel of some of India’s most authoritative sports journalists, experts and writers, with an online public vote then deciding the winner.
The BBC Emerging Player award was presented to 18-year-old cricketer Shafali Verma.
Karnam Malleswari, the first Indian to win an Olympic medal with her weightlifting bronze at Sydney 2000, was presented with the BBC Lifetime Achievement award.
