MIRABAI CHANU SAIKHOM
Weightlifter
AGE: 27
WHAT
Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the 49 kg category of the women’s weightlifting competition on the first day of the 2020 Olympics, setting the tone for India’s best-ever medal haul at the Games. It was also one of only two silver medals India won in Tokyo.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED, AND HOW YOU OVERCAME IT
“The biggest challenge was after the Rio [Olympics] 2016, where I failed. I was really troubled. I felt like quitting. I couldn’t understand why I’d failed after so much hard work. My family’s support, in helping me understand that victories and losses happen in the life of a sportsperson, got me through this. I realized I have to do well in the future, work harder, and focus on my training.”
STANDOUT MOMENT FROM YOUR WIN
“When I won a medal on day one, my dream came true. First, I was nervous. Later, I still couldn’t believe I’d won. Even on the podium, it felt like a dream; five years of work had borne fruit. I got such a hug from [coach] Vijay [Sharma], who said I’d fulfilled his dream too.”
BIGGEST LEARNING
“There will be injuries, and you have to deal with them. Some people who get injured or miss medals give up training; they go into a different space. I’ve learnt not to do that.”
DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING
“I’ll start training soon; I want a medal in the Asian Games, which I don’t have. Then there are only three years left for the Paris Olympics [laughs]. I want to convert silver to gold.”
Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av GQ India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 2021-utgaven av GQ India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The 30 Best Watches Of 2024
Rounding up the best shapes, materials, complications and sizes from this year's horological novelty treasure chest.
Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...
Last month, LA-based artist Wes Lang unveiled The Black Paintings, a monumental series of works that play like storyboards to a raucous midnight horror movieand a spiritual quest. Here, GQ collaborates with the artist on a fashion story that brings his stylish characters off the canvas.
The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame
In 2019, a fire nearly destroyed the crown jewel of France-and the nation set a breakneck five-year deadline to bring it back from the ashes. This is the story of how an army of artisans turned back centuries to restore Notre-Dame by hand, and wound up reviving something even greater than the cathedral itself.
"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter talks business, legacy, art, and family
The Wedding Singers
Madboy Mink's dynamic duo, Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, redefine festive style.
A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face
As collectors look to make their grail watches stand out, they're turning to unique vintage bracelets and paying thousands on thousands for straps on the secondary market.
The Fluidity of Cartier
Why Gen Z stars are obsessed with this historic maison.
A Princess with Passion
From restoring monuments to reviving hereditary crafts, Bhavnagar's Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil has her sights on the future.
THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ
The Coachella-slaying, multi-language-singing, genre-obliterating members of Ateez are quickly becoming load-bearing stars of our global pop universe.
DEMNA UNMASKED
He's the most influential designer of the past decade. He's also the most controversial. Now the creative director of Balenciaga is exploring a surprising source of inspiration: happiness. GQ's Samuel Hine witnesses the dawn of Demna's new era, in Paris, New York, and Shanghai. Photographs by Jason Nocito.