Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy Lalrinnunga eye good present at Asian Weightlifting Championship

Former world champion Mirabai Chanu will look to place her greatest foot ahead after spending greater than a 12 months with out competitors when she spearheads the Indian problem on the Asian Weightlifting Championship beginning on Friday.
While the final occasion the Indians had participated was the National Championships in February 2020 earlier than the weightlifting schedule went haywire because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Qatar International Cup in December 2019 was their final worldwide competitors.
The 26-year-old Chanu stays India’s brightest medal prospect for the gold-level Olympic qualifying occasion which was postponed final 12 months because of the pandemic.
The ace weightlifter, who competes within the 49kg class, shall be keen to enhance her private greatest (203kg) and end on the rostrum, having missed the bronze by a whisker within the 2019 version.
In the final version, the gold medal went to Hou Zhihui of China 208kg (92kg+116kg) whereas North Korea’s Ri Song-Gum clinched the silver, lifting 200kg (86kg+114kg).
China’s Zhang Rong had completed with the identical complete of 199kg as Chanu, however took dwelling the bronze because of a better snatch end result.
After recovering from a again damage, which marred her progress in 2018, Chanu has continuously improved her efficiency. In the 2019 World Championship, the Manipuri breached the 200kg mark by lifting 201kg (87kg+114kg).
However, Jiang Huihua of China (212kg), Zhihui (211kg) and Gum (209kg) lifted greater than the Indian.
Chanu’s greatest efficiency got here on the National Championships final 12 months the place she lifted 88kg in snatch and 115 kg in clear and jerk for a complete of 203 kg proper earlier than the sporting world was dropped at a grinding halt.
She additionally flew to the US final 12 months to get remedy of her decrease again ache from Dr. Aaron Horschig, a physio and power and conditioning coach, which ought to profit her.
Participating on this match will even affirm Chanu’s Olympic spot as she has competed in 5 of the six obligatory qualifying occasions.
Under the brand new guidelines, to qualify for the Tokyo Games, a weightlifter should compete in at the least one occasion in every of the three durations of six months (unfold over November 2018 to April 2020), at the least six occasions general and in at the least one gold and silver-level occasion.
Among the male lifters, all eyes shall be on the 2018 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist teenager Jeremy Lalrinnunga. The 18-year-old is the highest-ranked Asian exterior the top-eight and is positioned twenty second within the 67kg class. He shall be eager to extend his scores factors and seal an Olympic berth.
The Mizo weightlifter had gone on a record-breaking spree in his final worldwide match. He had smashed his personal Youth World and Asian document in snatch, clear and jerk and complete carry with an effort of 306kg (140kg+166kg).
Other Indians within the fray embrace Sneha Soren (49kg), Jhilli Dalabehera (45 kg), P Anuradha (87kg), Achinta Sheuli (73 kg) and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Satish Sivalingam (81kg).
The Squad:
Women: Mirabai Chanu (49 kg), Sneha Soren (49kg), Jhilli Dalabehera (45 kg), P Anuradha (87kg).
Men: Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg), Achinta Sheuli (73 kg), Satish Sivalingam (81kg).