Mirabai eyes lift-off at Asian Championships
Jinju (South Korea), May 4
Tokyo Olympics silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will once again spearhead the Indian challenge at the Asian Championships but is unlikely to attempt the much-awaited 90kg snatch lift here tomorrow.
The two-time CWG champion had won silver in her last outing at the World Championships in December with an overall effort of 200kg (87kg +113kg).
It was far from her personal best of 207kg (88kg+119kg) and this time, the former world champion is not expected to push her limits in the 49kg category.
“Mira only has to participate here. We will take it easy,” head coach Vijay Sharma said. “She will just participate and lift 85kg (snatch)…110kg (clean and jerk), totals that she can easily get,” Sharma added.
This means the wait for the coveted 90kg snatch lift could be longer. Chanu, who struggles with a back issue that affects her snatch, has been trying to breach the mark since 2020.
But with the Olympics still afar and the Asian Games scheduled in September, the Manipuri wants to peak at the right time. The last time Chanu competed at the event in 2021, she made history by creating a new world record in the clean and jerk category which still stands.
“We will create world records in the Olympics year. She was at her peak the last time she was here because Olympics were just around the corner. The Paris Olympics is next year. There is no point peaking now. We have to take keep in mind her age also, she is not a kid anymore, her body needs to be taken care of more now,” Sharma said.
