NEW DELHI: Injury-hit Mirabai Chanu is all set to push the weight envelope at the Paris Olympics next month. Admitting that she has reached “85 percent” of her performance after recovering from hip tendonitis that she suffered during her fourth-place finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist has set herself a target of lifting a record 90kg in snatch and somewhere closer to 120kg in clean and jerk in Paris to become the first Indian weightlifter to win two Summer Games medals.
“The injury is fine now.I have recovered from that but I am going slow in my training. I am lifting 80-85 percent in repetitions and not going for 100 percent till the Olympics. My best in snatch is 88kg and 119kg in clean and jerk. In Paris, I’ll target 90kg-plus in snatch and also somewhere closer to my best in clean & jerk. Right now, I am going gradually and lifting 70-80kgs in snatch and 100-110kgs in clean & jerk. I will try to give my best performance in Paris but can’t predict the colour of the medal,” said Mirabai, who will be competing in her preferred women’s 49kg class.
In weightlifting, India will have sole representation in Mirabai with no other lifters qualifying for the Games. The 30-year-old Manipuri weightlifter insisted that her success at the Games will depend on how well she manages to keep herself injury free. By her own admission, Paris will pose an arduous challenge as the “competition is going to be very tough”.
“I learnt a lot after the injury…how to keep myself safe because injuries can happen anytime. We need to follow the instructions of the coaches, adopt the right technique, rest and exercise properly, and how to build your muscles. I have started to understand my body and you can’t push it beyond a certain limit. Injuries can happen anytime. It was a difficult phase and there were self-doubts. I am happy to make a comeback,” said Mirabai, who returned to competition after a six-month long injury layoff following her participation at the Phuket World Cup in April where she lifted a total of 184kgs (81kg in snatch and 103kg in clean & jerk).
To have success in Paris, Mirabai will have to target a total lift of 200kg-plus to stand a chance to win her second Olympics medal. “Pressure will be there. The competition is going to be very tough. I’ll try to give my best,” added the former world champion.
Box Item:
Money spent on Mirabai’s Paris Olympics cycle post Tokyo: Rs 2.7 crore
No. of foreign exposure trips: 9
No. of camps sanctioned: 9
No. of days in camps: 1005 (930 days in India)
“The injury is fine now.I have recovered from that but I am going slow in my training. I am lifting 80-85 percent in repetitions and not going for 100 percent till the Olympics. My best in snatch is 88kg and 119kg in clean and jerk. In Paris, I’ll target 90kg-plus in snatch and also somewhere closer to my best in clean & jerk. Right now, I am going gradually and lifting 70-80kgs in snatch and 100-110kgs in clean & jerk. I will try to give my best performance in Paris but can’t predict the colour of the medal,” said Mirabai, who will be competing in her preferred women’s 49kg class.
In weightlifting, India will have sole representation in Mirabai with no other lifters qualifying for the Games. The 30-year-old Manipuri weightlifter insisted that her success at the Games will depend on how well she manages to keep herself injury free. By her own admission, Paris will pose an arduous challenge as the “competition is going to be very tough”.
“I learnt a lot after the injury…how to keep myself safe because injuries can happen anytime. We need to follow the instructions of the coaches, adopt the right technique, rest and exercise properly, and how to build your muscles. I have started to understand my body and you can’t push it beyond a certain limit. Injuries can happen anytime. It was a difficult phase and there were self-doubts. I am happy to make a comeback,” said Mirabai, who returned to competition after a six-month long injury layoff following her participation at the Phuket World Cup in April where she lifted a total of 184kgs (81kg in snatch and 103kg in clean & jerk).
To have success in Paris, Mirabai will have to target a total lift of 200kg-plus to stand a chance to win her second Olympics medal. “Pressure will be there. The competition is going to be very tough. I’ll try to give my best,” added the former world champion.
Box Item:
Money spent on Mirabai’s Paris Olympics cycle post Tokyo: Rs 2.7 crore
No. of foreign exposure trips: 9
No. of camps sanctioned: 9
No. of days in camps: 1005 (930 days in India)
