Mirabai Chanu wins gold on comeback from injury

World champion Indian weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won her first medal since her return from injury, winning a gold medal at the EGAT Cup in Thailand on Thursday.

Mirabai was laid low by a lower back injury that kept her out of action for more than half of 2018.

Chanu won the 48kg category gold with a effort of 192 kg in the silver level Olympic qualifying event, the points from which will come in handy when the final rankings for Tokyo 2020 cut are done.

 "This is my first international event after recovering from injury. I am feeling 100 per cent fit but since this is first one after injury, it is not the best result," Chanu told PTI from Chiang Mai city in Thailand.

"But this is just four kg less than my personal best of 196kg. I am quite satisfied and happy with my performance. I had won World Championships in 2017 with 194kg," she added.

The 24-year-old Manipuri lifted 82kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium after recovering from the injury, which required extensive physiotherapy.

Japan's Miyake Hiromi (183kg) claimed the silver, while the bronze went to Papua New Guinea's Loa Dika Toua (179kg).

Chanu had missed the world championships last year, a gold level Olympic qualifier, owing to the injury which had also forced her out of the Asian Games in Jakarta.

Chanu last took part at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast where she won gold with an effort of 196kg.

She had then lifted 86kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk, a Games record and also her personal best.