The season could be winding up for many athletes however for Mirabai Chanu, the World Championships are scheduled to be held in December and on condition that will probably be a part of the Paris Olympics qualification programme, its significance has elevated much more.
That, nevertheless, has not curtailed the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist’s zest to compete. She enjoys the fun of competitors and on the Nationwide Video games, she was expectedly the most important star on stage.
As soon as she sealed the gold with ease within the girls’s 49kg competitors, everybody needed a bit of Chanu on the weightlifting venue in Gandhinagar. From officers to the rapturous crowd, the demand for Chanu was relentless. She bore all of it with out fuss and with a smile. She was even current on the opening ceremony and shared the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Such was her vitality that nobody may make out she had not eaten since morning. “My occasion is at all times on the primary day of the competitors, so I normally miss the opening ceremonies. Right here I needed to be a part of the opening and carry the flag of Manipur. I actually loved myself. Within the morning I needed to seem for my weight. So proper now, I’m dying of starvation,” she remarked.
Final month Chanu secured gold on the Birmingham Commonwealth Video games. She then spent three weeks in St. Louis, US to work on her energy and conditioning. Within the final yr, she has spent a substantial time within the US below weightlifter-turned-physical therapist Aaron Horschig to work on her battered physique.
Chanu says working with Horschig has made her extra conscious of her physique now. She now takes particular care throughout her coaching periods and competitions particularly.
“If I practice for seven hours, I dedicate one hour solely to do strengthening workouts. I work on every small a part of my physique. I’ve to be further cautious throughout competitions and save myself from accidents. I attempt to overlook the niggles. In the event you concentrate on ache, then you’ll be able to’t give your finest.”
After CWG too, Chanu says she damage her proper wrist whereas coaching and although she is doing higher, she doesn’t wish to take any possibilities.
“Participation was necessary right here as a result of each competitors retains me going. However I understand how a lot load to take and when. After CWG, I went to rehab within the US. I’m doing higher now.
“Actually, I don’t fully go off coaching as a result of it might enhance possibilities of damage on return. I’m coaching, there isn’t a break. If I proceed with my routine, it helps me in preserving the physique in good condition.”
The back-to-back competitions this season have been grueling for her however Chanu insists she has saved her finest for the Worlds in December.
“It’s been a troublesome schedule this yr however right here (Nationals) I needed to get my confidence going and see how I’m feeling. Additionally, it was necessary to take part for Manipur. That is my second Nationwide Video games however it’s the first time I’ve received a gold.
“The goal is the Paris Olympics and I want to qualify as early as doable in order that we are able to plan and practice properly. In that respect, the World Championships are essential and the competitors will likely be very powerful. So I’ve to save lots of my finest for it. I even have the dream of profitable an Asian Video games gold medal. I missed out on the earlier Video games due to damage however this time I wish to give my finest shot,” Chanu says.
In the meantime, Sanjita Chanu, the two-time Commonwealth Video games gold medallist, is on a comeback path and was completely satisfied to win her second Video games medal. She had crushed Chanu in 2015.
“Final time I received the gold in a decrease weight class however the stage of competitors has gone up and (Mira) Chanu has been superb along with her consistency. Nonetheless, it issues that we now have each received medals for Manipur,” she says.
Gujarat shine
Hosts Gujarat began on a robust word on the Nationwide Video games with Elavenil Valarivan profitable the gold medal within the 10m air rifle. It was Gujarat’s fourth gold, having received three in desk tennis.
Tokyo Olympian Elavenil edged Mehuli Ghosh by 0.3 factors to arrange a gold medal match with top-ranked Tilottama Sen. Within the last, Elavenil took a 4-0 lead and completed off with a 16-10 win.
In tennis, Ankita Raina guided Gujarat girls’s staff to the ultimate, beating Karnataka 2-0. They may tackle Maharashtra for the gold medal. Vaidehi Choudhary received the primary match 6-3, 6-1 over Vanshita Pathania earlier than Raina closed out the tie with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Sharmada Balu.
In netball, the Gujarat males’s staff added a bronze medal.