Mirabai Chanu’s return to the weightlifting arena from injury has been further delayed. The Olympic Silver Medallist will not be able to compete at the Asian Championships scheduled to be held in February of next year. Chanu, who is a 49kg lifter, is still recuperating from a hip tendon injury sustained in October during her Asian Games campaign.
The former world champion, who did not compete in the IWG Grand Prix II, had initially planned to focus on training ahead of the Asian Championships, which will be held from February 3-10 at Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
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“I will not participate in the Asian Championship this time. Instead, I will participate in the World Cup,” Chanu told news agency PTI on Tuesday.
The Paris Olympic qualification rules require a lifter to compete compulsorily at the World Championships 2023 and the World Cup 2024, which is scheduled to take place in Phuket from March 31st to April 11th.
In addition to the above-mentioned events, the lifter must also take part in three of the following Continental Championships: 2022 World Championships, the 2023 and 2024 Continental Championships, the 2023 Grand Prix I and the 2023 Grand Prix II.
Mirabai Chanu set to visit US
Chanu is currently in rehabilitation in Patiala and is scheduled to leave for the United States in February to train with Dr. Aaron Hiltschig, an ex-weightlifter turned physical therapist and US strength and conditioning coach.
“Right now because of injury, I have not planned for a trip abroad. But most likely in February, I will travel to the USA to my physiotherapist to do muscle strengthening and some high performance training.
“I feel more comfortable with my trainer in the US to do training. He helps me a lot, my overall performance also gets better. A foreign coach is not needed. A good physiotherapist can help you train well,” she said.