NEW DELHI: Mirabai Chanu, the weightlifter who secured a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, has set her sights on achieving a snatch lift exceeding 90kg at the upcoming Paris Games next month. Chanu has been taking a cautious approach since making her comeback after a six-month hiatus due to an injury.
The 49kg women's category competitor encountered a setback in the form of hip tendonitis, which resulted in a fourth-place finish at the recent Asian Games.
However, she marked her return to the competitive stage with a total lift of 184 kgs, comprising an 81kg snatch and a 103kg clean and jerk, at the Phuket World Cup earlier in April.
Chanu is acutely aware that a total lift below 200kg (snatch + clean and jerk) will not suffice to secure a medal in Paris.
Consequently, she is diligently working alongside her long-standing coach, Vijay Kumar Sharma, to surpass this benchmark and enhance her chances of claiming a podium finish in the prestigious event.
"The injury is fine, I have completely recovered from that but I am going slowly in training. In training now I am lifting 80-85 per cent in repetitions, I am not lifting 100 per cent till the Olympics.
"88kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk are my best, but my target is 90kg plus in snatch in Paris, and I will try my best," PTI quoted Chanu as saying during a virtual interaction facilitated by Sports Authority of India (SAI).
"Right now, I am going gradually and lifting 70-80kgs in training but my target is 90kg plus and better clean jerk lift but I can't say a specific target. I will do what it takes and try to give my best performance to win a medal, but I can't predict the colour of the medal."
Chanu expressed that the period during which she was injured provided her with valuable lessons and insights.
"I learnt a lot after the injury. I learnt how to keep myself safe because injuries can happen anytime. We need to follow instructions of coaches, adopt the right techniques, rest and exercise properly, and learn how to build your muscles," she said.
"I understand my body. Injuries can happen anytime and these are difficult phases but we need to motivate ourselves and keep believing in ourselves."
The prominent Indian weightlifter emphasized the challenges athletes face when dealing with self-doubt, especially after sustaining an injury.
"Problems did happen but I am happy that I made a comeback. It was difficult, there is always self doubt when recovery will happen, how to recover soon and stuffs like these. All these questions came to mind because I was counting days as the Olympics was near.
"But I didn't give up and believed in myself, worked according to my coaches and physio and recovered fully," Chanu said.
Chanu acknowledges the inevitable pressure she will face in Paris. She remains undaunted by the challenges that lie ahead, fully aware of the expectations placed upon her.
"Pressure is there because in Tokyo, on the first day I got a medal for India. I will try to give my best performance and win a medal for the country in Paris."
Chanu is presently undergoing training at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. She is scheduled to depart for Paris on July 7, where she will engage in a training program to further enhance her skills and prepare for upcoming competitions.
