Mirabai Chanu eyes Asian Games breakthrough after Commonwealth triumph

Mirabai Chanu, the 32‑year‑old world‑ and Olympic‑medallist, has been walking a fine line between ambition and caution as the Asian Games loom. After lifting an impressive 190 kg total to claim her third successive Commonwealth gold in Glasgow, the Indian star now eyes the continental stage – a place that has, until now, kept her hands empty.

The 2018 Asian Games were a missed opportunity because of a stubborn back problem, and the 2023 edition saw her go down with an on‑platform injury. Those setbacks have turned the upcoming competition into something of a personal jinx she’s desperate to break.

Good news for her, at least, is that China – the usual powerhouse in the women’s 49 kg class – isn’t fielding a lifter this time. That opens a thin but hopeful window, with the main rivals being North Korea’s seasoned Ri Song Gum, Thailand’s Kaeosingkhon Suthasini and Taiwan’s Fang Wan‑ling.

Coach Vijay Sharma isn’t getting his hopes up on any magic numbers. “Anything around a 200 kg total would get us a medal. A medal is our target, not the total,” he told The Hindu. The emphasis, he added, is on keeping Mirabai fit – no over‑loading, no risking the shoulder and wrist niggles that haunted her after the February national championships.

Training resumed quickly after the Glasgow triumph. “She needed to train because she was still troubled by those injuries, but we’re playing it safe now,” Sharma explained. The plan is simple: preserve her health and let her strength return naturally.

Mirabai isn’t the only Indian lifter with a chip on her shoulder. In the same squad, Gyaneshwari Yadav (53 kg), Nirupama Devi (61 kg) and Harjinder Kaur (69 kg) are all looking to post personal bests, hoping the Indian camp can sweep more than just a single podium spot.

Adding a note of disappointment, Commonwealth silver‑medallist Chanambam Rishikanta Singh has been ruled out of the Games after a recurring knee injury flared up. His absence is a reminder of how thin the line between glory and gloom can be in weightlifting.

All eyes will be on Mirabai when the bar is set and the crowd roars. Whether she finally shatters the Asian Games jinx or returns home with another near‑miss, the journey will be watched with bated breath by fans across the subcontinent.