NAGERCOIL: The mantra at the 69th Men’s and 32nd Women’s National Weightlifting Championships here at the Ponjesly Engineering College in Nagercoil was always going to be about giving fresh faces a chance. Especially as Indian weightlifting had seen a slump this past year, capped by the fact that both lifters who made the Rio Olympics failed to make a mark.
Planning in advance for Tokyo 2020, was what Weightlifting Federation of India vice-president Sahdev Yadav termed the move. “We want to make sure we have at least doubled the berths in Tokyo. And that means looking at the future, which is the main aim at the nationals. At Rio, Mirabai Chanu had a bad day, and that cost her a podium finish.
The way she was performing going into the event, we were sure she would spring a surprise. But it wasn’t to be, and maybe the fact that it was her maiden Summer Games played a part. So we want to ensure they’re better prepared this time, and if that means sending them outside more often for exposure and training, then so be it,” said Yadav.
Chief national coach Vijay Sharma, meanwhile, said they had already identified a few young lifters to blood over the next four years.
“Apart from the core six of Sathish Sivalingam, Vikas Thakur, Rahul Aware, Sanjita Chanu, Mirabai and Punam Yadav, who’re in the elite programme, we’ve shortlisted a few junior lifters to nurture. Sathish, given his recent injury history, seems a long shot to make it again in four years. But we’re doing what we can, and the results will only show with each event,” he said.
So far, the talent on show at the nationals has been a letdown, according to Sharma. “The hope was to find at least two or three lifters with potential. But I’ve not seen any such performance from anyone so far, and that’s a downer.”
Former national women’s coach and Olympian Kunjarani Devi had the final word. “See, it was Kunjarani (referring to herself) who put the sport on the map, and there hasn’t been anyone since to take up that mantle. But four years is a long time, so anything is possible, considering that finding talent is not the problem. It is more about harnessing that potential,” the Arjuna awardee said.
raviiyer@newidianexpress.com