Mirabai Chanu, Achinta Sheuli in Indian weightlifting team for Asian Games 2023 - full list
National Games champion N Ajith and Bindyarani Devi also made the four-member weightlifting squad. Injured Jeremy Lalrinnunga was ruled out.
Weightlifting
Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu and Commonwealth Games 2022 champion Achinta Sheuli will be in the four-member Indian weightlifting team for the Asian Games 2023, according to a report by the Sportstar.
Mirabai Chanu will compete in the 49kg category while Achinta Sheuli is set to participate in the 73kg category at the upcoming continental games, scheduled in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China from September 23 to October 8.
Bindyarani Devi, the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships gold medal winner, was also included in the team. The 24-year-old will participate in the 55kg women’s division in Hangzhou.
Reigning National Games champion N Ajith will be the final member of the Indian team. The Tamil Nadu weightlifter will compete in the 73kg category alongside Achinta Sheuli.
Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mirabai Chanu is currently training at St Louis' SQUAT University under Dr Aron Horschig. The 28-year-old Mirabai Chanu returned to competitive action in May after undergoing a five-month rehabilitation programme following hip surgery last December.
In her only competition this season, Mirabai Chanu finished sixth at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Jinju, Republic of Korea.
Besides Mirabai Chanu, Bindyarani Devi is also training at St Louis. The 24-year-old Bindyarani Devi won two silver medals in the women’s 55kg category at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 in South Korea back in May.
Meanwhile, Indian weightlifters N Ajith and Achinta Sheuli, in their first competition of the season at the Asian Championships 2023 in May, finished overall ninth and 10th, respectively, in the men’s 73kg event.
Youth Olympic Games Jeremy Lalrinnunga, who started the 2023 season with a silver medal in the 67kg category at the Asian Championships 2023 in May, missed out as he is recovering from a slip disc.
Indian weightlifting team for Asian Games 2023
Men: Achinta Sheuli (73kg), N Ajith (73kg)
Women: Mirabai Chanu (49kg), Bindyarani Devi (55kg)