Mirabai Chanu to miss Commonwealth Championships; Jeremy Lalrinnunga weeded out of National camp

Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu will not be participating in the Commonwealth Championships at home starting next week.

Recovering from a thigh injury she suffered about a month-and-a-half ago, Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu is now “95 percent fit” but will not compete at the Commonwealth Championships at home next week, Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) President Sahdev Yadav said on Thursday.

The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist hailing from Manipur is currently in St. Louis, USA, for a 65-day camp under Dr. Aron Horschig. Mirabai has been consulting Horschig, a former weightlifter turned physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach, since 2020.

Mirabai, however, will compete at the World Championships and Asian Games in September this year.
“Mirabai had a little injury, she is undergoing rehab in St Louis for that. She is 95 per cent fit now and training well,” Yadav told reporters on Thursday.

According to Yadav, Mirabai had complained of a problem in her thigh about a month-and-a-half ago. Following which preparations were made to send send her to the US.

Dr. Aron Horschig has played a pivotal role in sorting out Mirabai Chanu’s imbalance issue, which affected her snatch technique.

The IWLF will host the Commonwealth Senior, Junior, and Youth Championships in Greater Noida on July 12 and the Asian Youth and Junior Championship on July 28.

“We have to keep her (Mirabai) protected till the Paris Olympics. She has to reduce weight to make the 49kg cut before competitions. And to do it so frequently will not be good for her, thus she will not be competing in the Commonwealth Championships,” Yadav said.

The World Championships are scheduled for September 4 in Riyadh, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on September 23.

While the Asian Games are not a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, an Asian medal is the only silverware that Mirabai Chanu hasn’t won.

On the other hand, under the 2024 Olympic qualification rule, a lifter has to compulsorily compete in the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 World Cup.

Thus, missing the Worlds is not an option for the 28-year-old weightlifter.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Games champion Jeremy Lalrinnunga, hailing from Mizoram, has been weeded out of the national camp after the weightlifter refused to go to the US for rehab for his back injury and also missed the trials for the Asian Games and World Championships.

“When Jeremy got hurt the first thing we told him was to go to St Louis. We also spoke to TOPS for it but he refused to go,” Yadav said. “He is a talented kid but did not give trials for World Championships and Asian Games. So, we weeded him out of the camp. He needs to perform to get back in.”

“There have been little disciplinary issues with him as well.” CWG silver medallist Sanket Sargar is also not a part of the national camp in Patiala anymore.

“Sanket Sargar, he also had an injury so he was also removed from the camp. His performance has also gone down. Junior players beat him in the recent trials,” Yadav said.

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