Indian weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu is on the verge of securing her spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Competing in the IWF World Cup in Thailand on April 1, Chanu clinched a third-place finish in the women's 49kg Group B event. This strong performance effectively qualifies her for the Paris Games.
It's particularly impressive considering Chanu was returning from a six-month injury layoff. The IWF World Cup serves as the final and mandatory qualification tournament for the Olympics, and Chanu's total lift of 184kg (81kg in snatch + 103kg in clean and jerk) was enough to put her on track for Paris.
"It feels incredible to come back after an injury. Almost every lift I made today felt clean, clear, and powerful, and I'm leaving this competition feeling strong and confident. The rehabilitation was tough and demanding, but with the support of everyone involved in my rehab and recovery, I pushed through all the complications," Chanu said after her impressive show, as quoted by India Today.
Here's a breakdown of what it means for Chanu
Qualification Criteria Met: By participating in this event, Chanu has fulfilled the requirement of competing in two mandatory events and three other qualifiers for the Paris Olympics.
Current Ranking: She currently sits at a strong second place in the women's 49kg Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR), just behind China's Jian HuiHua.
Qualification Process: The qualification period for weightlifting ends on April 28th. After that, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will officially notify National Olympic Committees (NOCs) with athletes ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes. As long as Chanu maintains her position within the top 10 by the deadline, she'll secure her spot at the Paris Games.
"The goal was to secure my spot for the Paris Olympics, and now that I am almost through for the Paris Olympics, all my attention is on making a mark at the Paris Olympics," she added.
Notably, Mirabai sustained a hip tendonitis injury at the Asian Games last September. While not at her absolute best, Chanu displayed commendable resilience by successfully completing five lifts. However, there was a missed opportunity. Her final attempt at lifting 106kg in the clean and jerk was unfortunately ruled a "no lift" due to a technicality. This meant she couldn't improve her total score further. Despite this setback, her overall performance was enough to put her in a strong position for Paris.
The 29-year-old still boasts an impressive personal best: 88kg in snatch and a former world record of 119kg in clean and jerk (set at the 2021 Asian Championships). However, this competition marked her return from a significant injury. Considering her recent rehabilitation, there's room for significant improvement by July, the peak season for weightlifting. Considering everything, her progress so far is encouraging.
Notably, on Monday, April 1, competitors in the A category lifted totals as high as 221kg. This means Mirabai has some ground to cover to match the top contenders. Chanu will be the sole Indian weightlifter representing the nation at the Paris Games.
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