Lifter Mirabai Chanu’s dream of an Olympic medal came true at Tokyo 2020 and in her victory the 26-year-old remembered all those who had played a key role in her success. Among those she wanted to thank were the truck drivers who would ferry her from her home to her training centre in Manipur’s Imphal, a good 25 kms.

Mirabai Chanu’s path to success had its own share of struggles. The family’s economic condition was not such that they could afford a two-way bus fare for their daughter to travel to Imphal  for training everyday. 

Her village, Nongpok Kakching, was more than 25 km from the Sports Academy in Manipur’s capital Imphal. But the star weightlifter was not the one to give up. She used to hitch a ride with trucks that would regularly ply carrying river sands to Imphal. This went on for many years and on Thursday, she thanked them all by treating 150 truck drivers to a lavish feast. She also gifted the drivers and their helpers a shirt and a Manipuri scarf each.

It was an emotional moment for the Olympian. Breaking down in gratitude, she said that her dream of becoming a weightlifter would have been possible had it not been for the truckers.

Mirabai Chanu’s mother Saikhom Ongbi Tombi Devi said the trucks that came from Etham Moirangpurel area had passed through their village. The truck drivers had stopped at her tea shop and picked up her daughter on most days, reports India Today.

Chanu sprung to international prominence at the age of 20 when she bagged the silver medal in the 48kg category at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Then, at the national trials for the Rio Olympics 2016, Chanu broke a 12-year national record then held by seven-time World Championships medallist Kunjarani Devi to book her place in the Indian team for the games.

Chanu bagged an Olympic silver at Tokyo lifting a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) in the women’s 49kg category to better Karnam Malleswari’s bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The lifter has already started thinking about the 2024 Paris Games saying that she wants to change the colour of her medal to Gold in the Paris Games.

Speaking to News18, she said, “Honestly, when I won the silver medal at that time it did look like that I was just dreaming, but now it has sunk in. I am really overwhelmed by the wishes and love shown by my people of India.”