Ira Singh 
The Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships began in Gandhinagar on May 11 and will continue till May 17, with athletes from 30 countries participating in the continental event being hosted at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre.
India’s Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, however, will miss the championships due to a shoulder injury as she continues her recovery ahead of major international events later this year.Athletes from 30 countries, including several world and Olympic medallists, are participating in the championships, which will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Indian Weightlifting Federation president Sahdev Yadav said there would be participants from 28 Asian nations along with two guest countries — Australia and New Zealand.However, participation from some countries has been affected due to the ongoing conflict in the West Asia region.The participating nations include India, China, North Korea, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Japan, Iran, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh among others.
Chanu, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was expected to make her return to international competition at the event. However, the Indian camp decided against rushing the former world champion back into action considering the packed international calendar ahead.The 31-year-old last competed at the national championships in Modinagar in February, where she secured gold in the women’s 48kg category despite battling the shoulder issue.Chanu has been managing recurring fitness concerns since suffering a hip injury during the Asian Games Hangzhou 2023. Her team has opted for a cautious recovery plan ahead of major events later this year, including the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.This will be the third successive edition of the Asian Championships that Chanu will miss because of injury concerns. Her last appearance at the continental event came in 2023 in Jinju, where she finished sixth overall.One of India’s most decorated weightlifters, Chanu won overall bronze at the 2020 Asian Championships and created a then world record in clean and jerk with a lift of 119kg to claim gold in the category. She had also bagged a bronze medal in clean and jerk at the 2019 edition.
According to organisers, around 180 athletes and nearly 200 officials, including coaches, delegates, managers and support staff, are attending the championships. Around 50 international technical officials and 50 VIP guests and dignitaries are also expected to be present during the event.In Chanu’s absence, Komal Kohar will represent India in the women’s 48kg category. India has fielded a 16-member contingent comprising eight male and eight female lifters for the continental meet.
(State Correspondent)
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