At the Asian championships in South Korea, India’s 49-kg weightlifting star wants to set a new standard.
The weightlifter Mirabai Chanu turned a corner in her storied career in December when she won her second medal at the World Championships despite having a problematic left wrist.
Chanu defeated a Chinese lifter for the first time in competition with his Bogota silver.
The silver medalist at the 49 kg Olympics in Tokyo has now set her sights on breaking the 90 kg mark in the snatch at the Asian Championships, which begin on Wednesday in Jinju, South Korea.
Hou proceeded to win the Olympic gold while Jiang guaranteed her third Big Showdowns gold at Bogota in December.
Where Chanu pushed Hou to third. This three-way contest, which qualifies for the Paris Olympics, becomes one of the sport’s most exciting storylines.
Chanu twice won the national championships in Kolkata in 2020 and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year, achieving her career-best snatch of 88 kg. Her best outcome in the quick lift is the world record 119kg she lifted at the 2020 Asian Titles.
The 90-kilogram mark has been bothering me for some time, and I would like to accomplish it. In any case, in a game like a weightlifting, a ton really relies on how your body is acting on that specific day.”
Additionally, Chanu’s body is always undergoing repair. Chanu has been receiving treatment for injuries to her left wrist and left shoulder for the past five months.
“My left shoulder is the problem. It is weaker than my right shoulder, so my left wrist has to work a lot to compensate. That is what hurts the wrist,” she said, referring to the injury she sustained at the World Championships.
Dr. Aaron Horschig, a US-based weightlifter who has become an expert in strength and conditioning, has played a crucial role in Chanu’s recovery from an injury.
Over the past few months, the two of them met online a number of times. In order to constantly keep an eye on Chanu’s rehabilitation, one of Horschig’s students arrived at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala in February.
The body of a weightlifter will always have some problems, but Dr. Horschig has helped me realize my full potential.
When he relieved the pain in my left shoulder and the right corner of my back, he helped me succeed at the Olympics. Lifting 90 kg is not guaranteed, even with a fit body.
This is because every person has a unique body and technique. Individuals might feel that on the off chance that I can lift 88kg, I should lift 90kg.
Yet 1 kg improves things greatly in our game. Olympic medals are decided by one kilogram,” Chanu, who has been snatching 89 kilograms during training, stated.
Hu set the current snatch world record of 96 kg in April 2021 at the Asian meet in Tashkent.
Despite the fact that defeating the Chinese was never a mental obstacle, it does increase Chanu’s self-assurance heading into the championships.
I’ve always known they could be defeated, but you can’t truly believe something until it’s been accomplished. In comparison to the Chinese, my primary concern will be achieving my objectives.
In this sport, there are no guarantees. Since I did well last time doesn’t mean I can rehash it. Thinking about what you want to accomplish is the best approach to the competition.
Snatching 90 kilograms is definitely a goal of mine. I’ve worked on my endurance and speed. I am peaking well for the competition because I lift between 80 and 85 percent of my capacity each day in training. Hopefully, that 90-pound checkbox will be checked soon.