Manipur: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu wins ‘BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award’

Having won the 2022 BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award, 28-year-old weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has become the first athlete to win the prestigious award twice in a row.

Imphal: Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist and weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu from Manipur has won the 2022 ‘BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award’ (ISWOTY) after a public vote.

With this, the 28-year-old weightlifter has become the first athlete to win the prestigious award twice in a row. She also won the award in 2021.

Elated to win the BBC Sportswoman of the Year Award two times in a row. Thank you BBC Undia for recognizing the #WomenInSports and honouring me and my fellow athletes,” Padma Shri Mirabai posted on Twitter. Earlier, the weightlifter from Manipur’s Imphal East also won the 3rd edition of the BBC ISWOTY 2021. 

The other shortlisted contenders for the award were wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, boxer Nikhat Zairean, and badminton player PV Sindhu.

Table tennis player Bhavina Patel bagged the ‘BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year’, a category introduced in this year’s edition.

BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award was first launched in 2019 to celebrate women athletes of the country who have excelled in the international sports arena.

(East Mojo)