Asian Games 2023: Mirabai Chanu aims for elusive 90kg snatch lift

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Mirabai Chanu has time and again insisted that she wants to win the Asian Games 2023 medal. But doing that will not be an easy affair as weightlifting powerhouses like China, Korea and Thailand will compete at the continental event.

"We are aiming to cross the 90kg mark (in snatch) at the Asian Games 2023. It's been a while since we have been trying to get over that line. We have been focussing on Mira's snatch here in training," WFI head coach Vijay Sharma said.

While Chanu leads the field in clean and jerk, her snatch performances have been underwhelming. The two-time Commonwealth Games champion has a personal best of 88kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk, which is also the world record.

Five lifters have lifted 90kg or more in the snatch section in the current Olympic cycle, while the world record stands at 96kg. At the Asian Championships in May, the last tournament Chanu competed in, she had to withdraw from the competition due to a dodgy hip.

The 29-year-old is currently training in St Louis, USA under Dr Aaron Horschig, whom she has been consulting since 2020.

"We have to keep in mind Mira's body as well. She is ageing, the chances of injuries increase with age. So we have to be careful with the workload. Currently, her body is well. Small niggles here and there keep happening but nothing serious," Sharma said.

Apart from this year's Worlds and 2024 World Cup, a lifter also has to participate in three of the following events -- the 2022 World Championships, the 2023 Continental Championships, the 2023 Grand Prix 1, the 2023 Grand Prix II and the 2024 Continental Championships.

IWF will publish the Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR) of each weight category at the end of the qualification period. The best three performances at the qualifying events will be taken into account for final assessment.

-PTI