Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 26 (ANI): For greater than a decade, Mirabai Chanu has been the face of Indian weightlifting. During this era, she has bagged a formidable medal haul that features a Tokyo Olympics silver, three World Championship medals and three Commonwealth Games podium finishes. Yet one achievement continues to elude the Manipuri lifter — a medal on the Asian Games.
Mirabai first competed within the continental showpiece on the age of 19, ending ninth on the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. She was later compelled to withdraw from the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta as a result of a again damage that disrupted her preparations, in response to a press launch.
The closest she got here to a medal was on the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the place a hip damage dashed her hopes after coming agonisingly near sealing a podium end. The setback had additionally sidelined her for practically 5 months.
The 31-year-old made a formidable restoration to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the place she narrowly missed out on a second consecutive Olympic medal. Since then, she has been centered on lastly ending her Asian Games medal drought.
‘The Asian Games is essential personally as a result of I nonetheless have unfinished enterprise there. The competitors stage may be very excessive, which makes it much more difficult and thrilling,’ Mirabai stated.
One of the important thing challenges for Mirabai has been adjusting her weight class. She has largely competed within the 49kg division however should now shift between classes following a revision in weight courses by the International Weightlifting Federation.
As a outcome, she’s going to compete within the 48kg class on the 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, earlier than transferring again to 49kg for an additional try at an Asian Games medal on the upcoming version in Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
‘I’ll hold my weight inside 48kg until the Commonwealth Games, however inside two months of it, there are Asian Games, which is in 49 kg, so I must change again,’ famous Mirabai.
She impressively started her 2026 season on the National Weightlifting Championships in February, setting three new nationwide data within the ladies’s 48kg class.
At the Nationals, Mirabai lifted 89kg within the snatch — her greatest effort regardless of competing in a weight class under her typical 49kg division. She adopted it up with a profitable 116kg elevate in clear and jerk, which stands because the nationwide report within the ladies’s 48kg class, taking her whole to 205kg and securing the gold medal.
The effort additionally equalled her private greatest whole of 205kg within the 49kg class, which she had beforehand recorded on the Asian Weightlifting Championships 5 years in the past.
Meanwhile, Mirabai, who considers her gold medal on the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships much more particular than her Olympic silver on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, praised the launch of the Khelo India Tribal Games, describing it as an essential platform for athletes from distant areas.
‘This is a proud second for me personally as a participant to see the federal government prioritising quite a few sports activities initiatives like Khelo India Tribal Games. The KIBG will give a platform to all these athletes, hailing from distant locations, to showcase their potential. I’ve come throughout quite a few such cases from throughout the nation, particularly from the North-East and different tribal areas, the place there may be potential however could not flourish as a result of lack of platforms just like the KITG,’ she stated.
Mirabai additionally highlighted the function performed by the National Centres of Excellence and the Khelo India State Centres of Excellence and SAI coaching centres throughout India in supporting elite athletes and nurturing the following era of expertise.
‘The NCOEs and Khelo India State Centres of Excellence have been instrumental in offering world-class coaching services that has helped allow elite athletes to keep up high kind. There are a lot of younger athletes coaching in these centres who’re making ready for international occasions, and with constant teaching, vitamin and coaching environments, these centres are serving to the sporting ecosystem,’ she stated. (ANI)