Star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has observed a heightened interest in the power sport since her silver medal-winning feat at the Tokyo Olympics and expects more women to compete at the highest level in the near future.

Speaking at an event here on Friday, Mirabai said the amount of love she has received from fellow-Indians since her achievement last month has left her overwhelmed.

“I am seeing a marked interest in weightlifting for the first time. It makes me confident that more women will represent India in the next Olympics.

“The sport is a lot about strength and power but there is not a lot of difference between weightlifting and other sports. I see a lot of youngsters taking to the sport, especially women,” she said.

The performances of Indian women stood out in Tokyo, whether it was Mirabai’s outing on the opening day or P.V. Sindhu and Lovlina Borgohain’s bronze, or the women’s hockey team reaching the semi-finals for the first time. India golfer Aditi Ashok also became a household name by finishing a highly-creditable fourth after being in medal contention till the very end.

“It is all about hard work and women are working hard and the results are there for all of us to see,” said Mirabai.

“This is a big moment for me. To win a medal for India is a dream come true.”