Aveenash Pandoo elected first High-performance director by Weightlifting Federation
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The Indian Weightlifting Federation has selected Mauritian Aveenash Pandoo as its first High-Performance Director, effective till the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to the SAI. The appointment is made with the goal of developing a strong grassroots system for young weightlifters.
Pandoo's responsibilities will include developing a talent identification mechanism to increase India's bench strength. Pandoo, 46, of South Africa, has over two decades of coaching expertise and was instrumental in Indonesian weightlifters winning two silver medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
The role for junior development programmes and competition structures has also been assigned to Pandoo at the SAI National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) all around the country. His additional responsibilities include improving the development programmes for coaches and referees each year, as well as establishing a clear ranking system for weightlifters.
In the last few years, India has done decently well at the sport and the country had won 12 medals at the Commonwealth Championships in December, held along with the World Championship. The best bets for the country are Mirabai Chanu, who won a silver at the Tokyo Olympics, and Jeremy Lalrinnunga, who is a youth Olympics champion as well.
