Lifters aim for Olympics ticket in Asian meet

Ningbo (China), April 19

Former world champion Mirabai Chanu will look to put her best foot forward in her effort to qualify for the Olympics when she spearheads the Indian challenge at the Asian Weightlifting Championship, which begins here on Saturday.

India’s brightest medal prospect, Mirabai, who jumped from 48kg to 49kg following the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) reshuffle of weight categories, has made a strong comeback from a lower back injury that kept her out of action for nearly nine months.

In February, the 24-year-old lifted 82kg in snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to clinch the gold medal at the EGAT Cup in Thailand, which was the first of the six Olympics qualifying events for Mirabai.

In order to ensure a spot on the podium here, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist will have to better that performance.

Thai weightlifter Chayuttra Pramongkhol — currently embroiled in a dope scandal — had lifted 209kgs in the 49kg category to clinch the gold medal at the World Championship in 2018. The remaining medallists – Hou Zhihui and Jiang Huihua of China – had lifted 208kg (93+115) and 206kg (92+114), respectively. However, the diminutive Manipuri is aware of the competition and is working towards at least breaching her personal best of 196kg here. “Mira’s aim for the Olympics is 210kg. In the Asian Championship we aim to go above the 196kg mark,” national coach Vijay Sharma said. Among male lifters, all hopes hang on Youth Olympics Games gold medallist teenager Jeremy Lalrinnunga after two-time Commonwealth Games champion Sathish Sivalingam pulled out of the tournament owing to performance issues.

“Sathish and RV Rahul haven’t travelled to China. They won’t be participating in the Championship because their performance has not been up to mark,” Sharma said. — PTI

SQUAD

• Men: M Raja (61 kg) , Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg), Achinta Sheuli (73 kg), Ajay Singh (81 kg), Vikas Thakur (96 kg), Pradeep Singh (102 kg) Gurdeep Singh (+101 kg)
• Women: Mirabai Chanu (49 kg), Jhilli Dalabehera (45 kg), Swati (59kg), Rakhi Halder (64kg)