China's Zhihui Hou is set to undergo a doping test at the Tokyo Olympics, 2 days after she won the women's 49kg weightlifting gold, setting a new Olympic record of 210kg.
If she fails the doping test, India's Mirabai Chanu, who had bagged the silver medal in the Women's 49kg category, will be awarded gold. As per the rules, the athlete who has won silver will be awarded the gold if an athlete who won the gold medal fails the doping test.
A source informed, "She has been asked to stay in Tokyo and the test will be done. The test is definitely happening."
Mirabai Chanu, hailing from a modest background in Manipur's Imphal opened India's medal count on the first day of the quadrennial event in the 49 kg category. The 26-year-old weightlifter bagged a silver medal after successfully lifting 84Kg & 87Kg but couldn't better her own best of 88 Kg as she failed in the snatch attempt of lifting 89Kg.
Mirabai Chanu also became the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari won the bronze medal in the 69 keg category at the 2000 Sydney Games.
"There is so much happiness. The dream to take a medal at the Olympics has been fulfilled today," Chanu said.
Also read: Bhavani Devi beats history, wins India's first ever fencing match: Tokyo Olympics 2020
Talking about her success in Tokyo Olympics, Mirabai stated, "I was very sad after failing in the Rio Olympics. Then I won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, after that I thought of keeping an Olympic ring with me. That is when I dreamt of winning an Olympic medal and that's when I made this earring and kept it with me.”