Mirabai Chanu keeps injury worries at bay, sets sights on elusive Asian Games medal

NEW DELHI: For Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, the Asian Games have become the one unfinished chapter in an otherwise glittering career. The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist has collected medals at every major global competition she has contested, but an Asian Games podium finish has continued to elude her.With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games beginning on September 19, staying fit has become as important as lifting big weights for the 32-year-old. And Mirabai has leaned on a familiar support system, with coach Vijay Sharma overseeing her training at the Modinagar base and American strength and conditioning coach Dr Aaron Horschig providing regular input.The association with Horschig dates back to November 2020, and the two continue to hold a video call every Thursday to review Mirabai's training and recovery."We have a video call every Thursday with him and we discuss everything about training, recovery and the next steps. Everything is reviewed to the finest detail. Since Dr Horschig was a weightlifter himself, he knows every muscle in the body. This constant review has kept me in shape," Mirabai told SAI Media.The determination to crack the Asian Games code has also meant sacrificing time away from home. Mirabai returned from Glasgow after winning her third Commonwealth Games gold and went straight back to training in Modinagar. She did not even travel to her home state of Manipur."I did not go home (in Manipur) and I have set myself a challenge — no going home till I win a medal at the Asian Games," she said.Her Asian Games history explains the obsession. At Hangzhou in 2023, Mirabai finished fourth in the 49kg category after a hip and thigh injury disrupted her campaign during the snatch. Four years earlier in Jakarta, she missed the Games altogether because of a serious back injury.This time, the focus has been firmly on keeping her body in shape."We have been careful with fitness and so far, I have felt good with my body," she said.Mirabai's latest Commonwealth Games triumph in Glasgow offered further evidence of her consistency, although she does not believe it was a particularly demanding contest. She lifted 190kg in total — 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk — to win the women's 48kg gold and set new Commonwealth Games records in all three categories."The competition in the Commonwealth Games was not tough for me. I did not have to put in a lot of effort at Glasgow. The real test lies ahead," she said.That test will come in Japan, where Mirabai expects a dramatically stronger field. Chinese, North Korean, Japanese and Thai lifters are among those she expects to pose the biggest challenge.At the Paris Olympics last year, Thailand's Surodchana Khambao finished ahead of Mirabai by just one kilogram, lifting 200kg to take third place while the Indian finished fourth."My personal best is 205kg (89+116kg). I want to see how far I can go in Japan. The Asian Games have been the toughest for me. You will probably see the 'Olympics' at the Asian Games this time because the strongest lifters in our weight category are from Asia," Mirabai said.The Indian's urgency was evident even immediately after her Glasgow victory. With the Commonwealth Games weightlifting hall dismantled, Mirabai, Sharma and physiotherapist Rohit Chhabria found a gymnasium and paid for a training session rather than lose valuable preparation time.Now, however, the Commonwealth Games are firmly behind her. The Asian Games are the sole target, with the longer-term picture involving a move up to the 53kg category for the Los Angeles Olympics."In Los Angeles, the weight class will be 53kg and I will need to bulk up. That should not be a problem, but everything will depend on the performance at Nagoya and then we can plan with the Olympic qualifiers in December," she said.Mirabai will spearhead a five-member Indian weightlifting contingent in Aichi-Nagoya and will be one of four women in the squad. The weightlifting competition is scheduled from September 22 to 28 at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium.For now, though, there is only one destination in her mind — the Asian Games podium."It is mission Asian Games for me," Mirabai said.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.