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Away from the highlight owing to an injury-plagued buildup, Mirabai Chanu might be in give attention to Wednesday when she makes an attempt to grow to be India’s first weightlifter to win two Olympic medals however a difficult subject and lingering health considerations stand in the best way. The lifter, who opened India’s tally on the primary day of the competitors on the Tokyo Olympics with a glowing silver, has saved a low profile since struggling hip tendonitis through the Asian Video games final October. Chanu has endured a fairly underwhelming Olympic cycle due to damage and workload administration.
Her greatest effort since Tokyo got here on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games the place she lifted 201kg (88kg 113kg). She had received the silver in Tokyo by heaving 202kg (87kg 115kg).
Competing in her pet 49kg weight class, Chanu is more likely to be within the scramble for a silver or bronze if she matches or betters her private greatest in each sections.
Reigning Olympic champion China’s Hou Zhihui is the favorite to defend her title.
Whereas there are nonetheless murmurs surrounding her health after she returned from a 5 month hiatus following the hip damage, each Chanu and chief nationwide coach Vijay Sharma have asserted that the Manipuri has fully recovered.
“We all know that Mira has to go effectively past the 200kg mark. 202kg is not going to lower it this time however someplace round 205-206kg ought to do it. However we’re ready for the problem,” coach Sharma advised PTI.
Nevertheless, that is simpler mentioned than completed, because the 29-year-old has struggled to surpass her private better of 88kg within the snatch, set on the 2020 Nationwide Championships, and 119kg in clear and jerk, achieved on the 2021 Asian Championships, for fairly some time.
Whereas Chanu, who turns 30 on Thursday, can have one eye on her rivals’ barbells, the Manipuri’s major battle might be with herself on the South Paris Enviornment.
Her efficiency within the snatch part continues to be her achilles heal and her mediocre clear and jerk efficiency just lately additionally does not encourage confidence.
Whereas a 90kg snatch raise continues to elude Chanu, 4 of her rivals have breached the coveted mark.
Having mentioned that, Chanu has been identified to be a fighter and one of the crucial tenacious athletes within the nation.
Be it battling intense menstrual camps to win a medal in Tokyo or trying a 117kg clear and jerk raise regardless of injuring herself through the Asian Video games, she has proven her resolute facet.
Regardless of the absence of North Korea’s Asian Video games champion and world document holder Ri Track Gum, the 49kg occasion is a extremely aggressive contest.
Chanu has set an entry weight of 200kg alongside two others — USA’s three-time Pan American champion and a world bronze medallist Jourdan Delacruz and 2021 world champion Surodchana Khambao of Thailand.
Zhihui and two-time European champion Romanian Mihaela Cambei have set entry weights of 210kg and 205kg respectively.
Chanu has been coaching in Paris for a month.
She additionally bought assist from American Dr Aaron Horschig, a former weightlifter-turned-physical therapist and power and conditioning coach, who has been working with Chanu since 2020.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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