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Tokyo Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu is set to spearhead the Indian team in the upcoming edition of the World Weightlifting Championships, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 4.
Chanu, who is currently in the United States for a 65-day camp under former weightlifter Dr Aron Horschig, will compete in the 49 kg category. The other weightlifters in the squad are Bindyarani Devi in the 55 kg category, Achinta Sheuli in the 73 kg category, Narayana Ajith in the 73 kg category and Shubham Todkar in the 61 kg category.
National coach Vijay Sharma, who is with Chanu in the USA, updated on the weightlifter’s fitness ahead of the tournament.
“Mira is not injured; we are working on her strength here. She will compete in the Worlds as well as the Asian Games,” Sharma was quoted as saying to PTI.
Indian Squad for World Weightlifting Championships
Women: Mirabai Chanu (49kg), Bindyarani Devi (55kg)
Men: Narayana Ajith (73kg), Achinta Sheuli (73kg), Shubham Todkar (61kg)
Mirabai Chanu looking for an Asian Games medal
After taking part in the championship in Riyadh, Chanu will head to Hangzhou, China to play in the Asian Games, which is scheduled to get underway on September 23.
Apart from winning silver in the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, Chanu also won the gold medal in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year. But it is a medal in the Asian Games that is missing from her kitty.
“An Asian Games medal is the only medal she doesn’t have so she will compete in both events,” Coach Vijay Sharma added.
Keeping aside Todkar, the other four weightlifters, Achinta Sheuli, Narayana Ajith, Bindyarani Devi and Chanu will be playing their trade in the Asian Games.
The World Championships in 2023 and the 2024 World Cup are compulsory events for a weightlifter to take part in the Olympics next year. The best performances in the qualifying events will be considered before deciding on the final team for the Olympics.
The other qualifying events are the 2023 Continental Championships, the 2022 World Championships, the 2024 Continental Championships, the 2023 Grand Prix 1 and the 2023 Grand Prix II.
