Missing National Games, lifter Mirabai training for new weight category

International Federation announced new set of weight categories last year which means Indian lifter has to adjust to new division which is 48kg instead of her pet 49kg
Mirabai Chanu with head coach Vijay Sharma (second right) and other support staff at the Games Village in Paris
Mirabai Chanu with head coach Vijay Sharma (second right) and other support staff at the Games Village in ParisFILE PIC
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CHENNAI: Another big name to miss the 2025 National Games will be Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu. She though competed at the 2023 Gujarat National Games but skipped the next edition in Goa. The 2017 world gold medallist was never supposed to compete in the Uttarakhand edition even as other big names like Achinta Sheuli, Shubham Todkar, Sanket Sargar, Bindyarani Devi are set to represent their respective states in the event.

Vijay Sharma, weightlifting head coach, will be at the Monal Hall, MPSC, Rajat Jayanti Khel Parisar in Dehradun when the competition begins on Thursday. But before heading to the venue, he has made sure that Mirabai start weight training ahead of the international season this year.

"Mira started weight training earlier this month in Modinagar. It will go on till February end," Sharma told this daily. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) had announced new set of weight categories in December last year and the same will be applicable from June 1. The change meant Mirabai has to adjust to new division which is 48kg instead of her pet 49kg. "The change seems minor but we have to take every aspect into consideration before reaching the final conclusion. We have to check her natural weight without reducing the body weight. It's not that simple. So her weight category for now is not decided," the coach added.

However, one thing is sure and that is Mirabai's next international participation. "As of now, she will compete at the Commonwealth Senior, Junior & Youth Championships scheduled in Ahmedabad from August 24 to 30 in Ahmedabad. After that if everything goes fine she will compete at the World Championships scheduled from October 3 to 12."

The star lifter seems to have time to finalise her weight category as the International Olympic Committee is likely to announce new Olympic weight categories in July. Given the situation, Mirabai, who lost out on a bronze medal at the Paris Games by a whisker, can focus on her training for the next few months even as fellow lifters vie for medal at the National Games.

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