So the biggest sporting extravaganza, the 2016 Rio Olympics are upon us and as I pen this article, India’s archers have already participated in the qualifying rounds.
Today the diminutive girl from Manipur – Mirabai Saikhom Chanu will represent India in the 48 kg weightlifting category. Before we analyze her chances, let’s talk a bit about weightlifting.
The sport comprises two lifts, the Snatch followed by the Clean & Jerk. The total weight lifted in these two lifts are considered, to arrive at the Weightlifter’s ranking.
Also read: Once unable to afford a glass of milk, Mirabai Chanu has charted an unlikely Rio Olympic journey
Snatch
The objective of the snatch is to lift the barbell from the ground to the overhead position in one continuous motion. Also called the squat snatch, the lifter lifts the bar as high as possible while simultaneously descending from a squat position. This decreases the height that the bar has to travel. This is critical, as defeating the inertia of the bar loaded with weights requires tremendous effort.
After receiving the bar overhead with the arms straight, lifter rises through an overhead squat position and completes the lift.
Clean and Jerk
During the clean, the lifter receives the barbell in the squat position but, on their deltoids and clavicles. This is followed by a front squat, to complete the clean portion. During the jerk, the lifter raises the barbell to a stationary position above the head, finishing with straight arms and legs, and the feet in the same plane as the torso and barbell.
The snatch is considered the tougher of the two lifts.There are variations of the Snatch and Clean/Jerk, but not all are used in Olympic Weightlifting.
Main Contenders
In this sport, the lower weight categories are dominated by the Asian countries and not surprisingly most of the competitors are from the continent.
With the Chinese giants absent, the experienced Japanese Hiromi Miyake could be the big fish. She is the silver medallist from the London Olympics and also a two-time World bronze medallist. With more than a decade of experience behind her, big stage pressure is no issue for her.
Vuong Thi Huyen from Vietnam, the Silver medallist ahead of Miyake, was the best non-Chinese weightlifter last year. She lifted slightly below par at the Asian Championships this year and was second best to her countrywoman Nguyen Thi Thuy but her federation has placed more faith in Vuong.
Sopita Tanasan from Thailand is an unknown factor in this category, but is very experienced in the 53 category, having won Silver at 2013 World Championships. Lifting between 200 & 210 is not a big deal for her, but what she lifts in this category is a million dollar question. She could be the X-factor later today.
Interestingly she has not participated at all this year.
Iulia Paratova from Ukraine, is another lifter descending from the 53/58 weight categories. She has won multiple Gold and Silver medals at all the previous 5 European Championships with lifts in excess of 200 kg. Another X-factor.
The Thai and the Ukranian apart, Mirabai is part of a cluster of 4/5 lifters, who lift between 190-196 kg.
Ability to soak in the pressure of the Olympics, physical conditioning and a clear mind with no self-doubts are critical for Mirabai Chanu’s medal hopes. But we need to keep a keen eye on some of the lifters descending from heavier categories, who have the ability to lift around 10kgs more than the perennial 48 kg lifters.
