Manipur Chief Minister Khemchand Yumnam virtually spoke to Commonwealth Games 2026 medal winners Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Chanambam Rishikant Singh. He congratulated both the weightlifters for their wonderful achievements.
Imphal (Manipur) [भारत]July 28 (ANI): Manipur Chief Minister Khemchand Yumnam on Monday virtually interacted with Commonwealth Games 2026 medalists Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Chanambam Rishikant Singh. He congratulated both the weightlifters for bringing glory to the state and the country in the ongoing Games in Glasgow.
Sharing a video of the interaction on Which once again confirms Manipur’s legacy as India’s sporting powerhouse. Hearty congratulations and best wishes for continued success.”
Chief Minister congratulated the medal winners
During the interaction in the video shared, the athletes greeted the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister congratulated both the athletes and said, “Congratulations to both of you. Thank you very much. Mirabai, you won the gold medal, and Rishikant, you won the silver medal! We are proud of you.”
Mirabai thanked the Chief Minister for his support.
The Chief Minister further said, “Both of you are the pride of the state. We are very proud and happy that you have brought glory to Manipur and India. We will meet you when you return to Manipur.”
Responding to this, Mirabai said, “Yes, sir. We will inform you.”
Athletes expressed gratitude
The Olympic medalist also expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from the state and the country. Mirabai told the CM, “Sir, it is only because of your support that we have reached this stage. We have achieved this feat because of the love, encouragement and appreciation of the people of Manipur and all of India. For players like us in this game, it is our duty to think only about achieving the goal. Without your love and support, we could not have achieved this alone. Sir, we get a lot of support and encouragement, and the credit for this goes to you and the people of Manipur and India.”
Highlighting Manipur’s rich sporting heritage, the Chief Minister said, “In India with a population of over 130 crore, our small state Manipur has a population of less than 30 lakh. Yet, Manipur won the country’s first inaugural gold medal. We are very proud of it. Along with this we also won a silver medal. We are very happy. And play well for any future endeavours. We are here to give you our full support.”
Before ending the conversation, Mirabai and Rishikant thanked the Chief Minister.
Mirabai’s gold hat-trick, Rishikant’s silver
Mirabai opened India’s gold account by winning the women’s 48 kg category title in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. This makes it a hat-trick of gold medals at the Commonwealth Games after her 2018 and 2022 wins. The Olympic medalist set Commonwealth and Games records during the competition and then successfully lifted 105 kg in the clean and jerk to seal the title.
Rishikant also impressed in the men’s 60kg category, winning the silver medal with a total of 264kg (121kg snatch and 143kg clean and jerk). He set a new Commonwealth Games snatch record with a personal best lift of 121 kg, and ultimately finished behind Malaysia’s Mohd Anik Kasdan, who won the gold medal with a Games-record total of 273 kg. Kenya’s Joshua Mboya won the bronze medal with 260 kg.
Mirabai and Rishikant’s medals laid the foundation for India’s successful weightlifting campaign in Glasgow, where the country has emerged as one of the strongest performers in the sport. (ANI)
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