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Indian weightlifting sensation Mirabai Chanu is determined to clinch her first-ever Asian Games medal, a significant achievement that would complete her illustrious collection of international honours.
Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters
Key Points
- Mirabai Chanu aims to win her first Asian Games medal in the women’s 49kg category.
- The absence of Chinese lifters improves Chanu’s chances, but North Korea’s Ri Song Gum remains a strong contender.
- Chanu has previously missed the Asian Games podium twice due to injury and performance.
- She has been specifically training for the Asian Games, targeting a 90kg snatch lift.
- This competition could potentially be Chanu’s final Asian Games appearance, adding to its significance.
An Olympic silver, a world title and Commonwealth golds already adorn Mirabai Chanu’s glittering trophy cabinet, but an Asian Games medal remains missing, and the star Indian weightlifter will look to complete the collection when she takes the platform here on Wednesday. Chanu, who will compete in the women’s 49kg category, enters the competition with the absence of Chinese lifters giving her a better chance of breaking her Asian Games medal jinx.
But standing in her way is reigning world and Asian Games champion Ri Song Gum of North Korea, who remains the biggest threat to Chanu’s gold medal hopes.
Chanu’s Past Asian Games Attempts
The Manipuri has twice missed the Asian Games podium. She finished ninth on her debut in 2014, missed the 2018 edition due to a back injury and came fourth in Hangzhou in 2023 after sustaining a hip injury on the platform.
The 32-year-old has since been working specifically towards the Asian Games with chief coach Vijay Sharma. Even after winning gold at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Chanu returned to training the following day as she continued preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Intense Preparation And Gold Medal Ambitions
“The focus is on to win a medal at the Asian Games. That’s been the aim for a very long time. It is the only medal I don’t have,” Chanu had told PTI. Her preparation has also included plans to push the limits in competition, with Chanu eyeing a 90kg snatch, a lift she been trying to achieve for the past six years. “You can’t really predict how the body will perform on a given day but I will try to get 90kg in the Asian Games for sure,” she had said.
Key Rivals And Final Appearance
Chanu’s task, however, will not be straightforward. Ri has already established herself as the lifter to beat in the category, while the Indian will have to manage the physical demands of a competition that could potentially be her final Asian Games appearance. The likes of South Korean Jaegyeong Shin, Chinese Taipei’s Fang Wan-ling and Thailand’s Suthasini Kaeosingkhon could also pose a threat.
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