India competed in the 2000 edition of the Olympics, held in Australia with 65 athletes, 21 women and 44 men. The Indian athletes competed in 36 events across 13 sporting disciplines. While several names aimed to bring glory to the tri-colour, it saw something historical. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari wrote a new chapter in Indian sports and became the first woman to bring yellow metal to the nation.
Malleswari won bronze in the 69 kg category was the first medal for India at that edition. Six years ago, she became the first Indian woman to win a world title in any sport. The contest saw Malleswari performing like a true champion, despite she had recently moved up in her weight category which had even led to many saying she was overweight and in no condition to compete.
In the 69-weight category, there was one of the weakest Chinese competitors. While many of the lifters started the contest with 100kg, she started at 105.0 kg and went up to 100.0 over the next two attempts. Only two others, China’s Lin Wining and Hungary’s Erzsebut Markus made it to 110 or above, and Malleswari was set to find her place on the podium. In snatch, Malleswari contested at 105.0 kg, went up to 107.5 and then to 110 kg in three attempts.
Later in the clear and jerk, Malleswari started at 125.0 kg. Later, competition came down between the Chinese, the Hungarian and the Indian. Malleswari and Markus went up to 130.0 kg and both succeeded in leaving one lift each. Meanwhile, Weining cleared the 132.5 kg mark. The game then saw Malleswari going up for 137.5 kg. As it happened, Weining failed at 137.5 kg and then at 145.0 kg and totalled 242.5 kg while Markus also had 242.5.