Mirabai Chanu clinched the gold medal at the inaugural Khelo India Women Weightlifting League tournament on Thursday.
Although Chanu won the yellow metal, she missed an opportunity to better her own national record. Chanu lifted a total of 191kg (86kg+105kg) in the snatch to win the gold in the ranking event for women in the senior, junior and youth categories.
In the clean and jerk, she lifted 105 kg in her first attempt, a far cry from her world-record lift of 119kg. She did not attempt a second or third lift in the section.
Chanu has been working on tweaking her snatch technique, once considered her weakness. She has been consulting Dr.Aaron Horschig, a former weightlifter-turned-physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach in the USA for the same.
The former world champion, who will be vying for a third Commonwealth Games medal in the quadrennial event next month, has been targeting the 90kg mark for a couple of years.
The gulf between Chanu and the other Indian lifters in the category was on full display as the second placed-lifter Gyaneshwari lifted a whopping 21kg less than the Manipuri while the gap 25kg for Jhilli.
Gyaneshwari Yadav 170kg (78kg+92) and former 45kg Asian Weightlifting Championship gold medallist Jhilli Dalabehra 166kg (75kg+91kg) finished second and third respectively.
The tournament will help the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) maintain a robust national ranking system while also providing additional competition to the lifters of the country.
(Inputs PTI)
