‘Couldn’t stop crying’: Chanu opens up to PM Narendra Modi on emotional CWG gold

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mirabai Chanu opened up on the emotional weight behind her Glasgow triumph during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with India’s CWG 2026 medallists, recalling the injuries, family problems and disappointment of missing out on a medal at the Paris Olympics that made her podium moment particularly poignant.

Chanu, who won gold in the women’s 48kg weightlifting category at the Glasgow Games, said the moment she saw the Indian flag rise and heard the national anthem after years of setbacks proved too overwhelming to contain her emotions.

PM Narendra Modi, while interacting with Chanu, acknowledged the emotion behind her gold-medal performance and told her that the tears themselves reflected the magnitude of her achievement.

“You have made everyone proud. So many tears were falling. I feel like a gold medal is falling from every drop of tears,” he said.

“I was very happy and emotional on that day. I was very happy. And I cried because I lost my medal in the Paris Olympics. And a player has to face so many things in life, and I faced so many things in these 4 years,” she replied to the Prime Minister.

The Manipuri weightlifter’s journey to the top of the podium in Glasgow came after a period marked by repeated physical setbacks and personal difficulties. Chanu said injuries had been a constant concern while she was also dealing with problems within her family.

“I was prone to injuries all the time. And I was facing family problems as well. The last four years were very difficult,” Chanu added.

The significance of finally reclaiming the biggest stage was evident when Chanu stood on the podium in Glasgow. For an athlete carrying the disappointment of Paris and years of adversity, the ceremony became an intensely personal moment.

“When I was standing on the podium, and when our flag was raised, and when our national anthem was played, I couldn’t stop myself from crying,” she stated.

Chanu’s Glasgow gold thus carried significance beyond the medal itself, with the 32-year-old returning to the top at a Commonwealth Games after overcoming a difficult four-year stretch that included the disappointment of the Paris Olympics.

The Prime Minister hosted India’s Commonwealth Games 2026 medallists at his residence in New Delhi on Sunday and interacted with members of the contingent following their successful campaign in Glasgow. India finished fourth in the overall medal standings at the Games.

IANS