Asian Championship could be turning point in my career, says Mirabai Chanu

Mirabai Chanu has been a regular presence in international events since 2014 in the 48 kg category weightlifting competitions. The 24-year-old athlete has won the World Championships and also has multiple medals in the Commonwealth Games. Recently, Chanu was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions to the sport.

Ahead of the upcoming Asian Championships, the Manipur native has set herself some personal goals that she intends to crush. The 2018 Gold Coast CWG gold medalist aims to cross the 200 kg barrier at the Asian showpiece.

"I have set myself few goals for the Asian championship, the biggest being the attempt to lift 200-kg plus. In the recent past, I have been doing it in training under coach Vijay Sharma in Patiala and there is no reason why I won't be able to do it in China. That could a turning point in my career," Mirabai told IANS.

Chanu’s personal best in the 48 kg category came at last year’s CWG in Australia when she lifted 196 kg to win the gold. Mirabai is of the opinion that the Asian meet will be her next step to achieve the bigger goal.

"The China meet will be extremely tough, but I am confident. Due to rearrangement of weight categories, several lifters from 53-kg have also joined the 49-kg category. If you look at the world championship results, you will find that a 200-kg plus lift is must for anyone who is hoping to win a medal.

"Given the standard of competition, Asian championship is like a world meet. Lifters from China, Thailand and Korea will be my biggest competitors. But I am not afraid. The gold medal I won in the EGAT Cup in Thailand a couple of months back has added to my confidence. A good performance and a podium finish will be my aim when I board the flight to China," she added.