Mirabai Chanu targets 90kg snatch over beating Chinese language

Chanu final competed within the continental championships in 2020 when she gained bronze in Tashkent, behind China’s Hou Zhihui and Jiang Huihua. Hou went on to win the Olympic gold whereas Jiang claimed her third World Championships gold at Bogota in December, the place Chanu pushed Hou to 3rd. The Jinju meet is a Paris Olympics qualifier and this three-way contest turns into probably the most thrilling storylines to observe within the sport.

“Lifting 90kg in snatch is certainly a goal. I have come close to it for a few years now and it would be great if that happens at the Asian Championships,” Chanu mentioned.

Chanu’s career-best snatch stands at 88kg, which she has achieved twice – on the nationwide championships in Kolkata in 2020 and on the Birmingham Commonwealth Video games final yr. Her greatest lead to clear and jerk is the world document 119kg she lifted on the 2020 Asian Championships.

“My objective can be to raise a complete of 200 kg. That may put me in medal place. Ideally, I want to raise 90kg in snatch and go previous my world document in clear and jerk.

“The 90 kg barrier has been bothering me for a while and I would like to get it done. But in a sport like weightlifting, a lot depends on how your body is behaving on that particular day.”

And Chanu’s physique is in perennial restore mode. Within the 5 months since her final competitors, Chanu has continually been in rehabilitation for left wrist and left shoulder accidents.

“The problem is with my left shoulder. It is weaker than my right shoulder and to compensate for that my left wrist has to work a lot. That is what injures the wrist,” she mentioned, referring to her damage on the Worlds.

Dr Aaron Horschig, the US-based weightlifter turned strength-and-conditioning professional, has been central to Chanu’s damage rehabilitation. The 2 had a number of digital classes over the previous few months. In February, considered one of Horschig’s college students arrived on the Nationwide Institute of Sports activities (NIS), Patiala to continually monitor Chanu’s rehab.

“A weightlifter’s body will always have some niggles but Dr Horschig has helped me unlock my true potential. He was instrumental in my success at the Olympics when he cured the pain in my left shoulder and the right corner of my back. He relies on exercises for pain relief, which is a method I like,” the 28-year-old defined.

Even with a completely match physique, there is no such thing as a assure of lifting 90 kg.

“That’s because everyone has a different body and a different technique. People may feel that if I can lift 88kg, I might as well lift 90kg, but 1 kg makes a world of difference in our sport. Olympic medals are won or lost because of 1kg,” mentioned Chanu, who has been snatching 89 kg in coaching. The present snatch world document – 96kg – was set by Hu on the Tashkent Asian meet in April, 2021.

Whereas beating the Chinese language was by no means a psychological block, it does increase Chanu’s confidence going into the championships. “I always knew they could be beaten, but you don’t truly believe something until it is done. For me, more than the Chinese, focus will be on meeting my goals.”

“There are no guarantees in this sport. Just because I did well last time doesn’t mean I can repeat it. The best way to approach the competition is to think of what you want to achieve. For me, snatching 90kg is definitely a goal. I have worked on my speed and endurance. I lift 80-85% of my capacity in training each day, which means I am peaking well for the contest. God willing, that 90kg box will be ticked soon.”