Gandhinagar, May 10: Indian weightlifters will look to capitalise on home support and build momentum ahead of a packed year featuring the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games when the Asian Championships begin here on Monday.
With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games looming on the horizon, the tournament assumes added significance for athletes chasing qualification points and momentum at the international level.
India will field a sizeable contingent, banking on a mix of established performers and emerging names to make an impression against a strong Asian field.
The biggest crowd-puller, Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, will miss the event as she continues to recover from a shoulder niggle.
Her absence leaves the spotlight on experienced campaigners such as Commonwealth medallists Bindyarani Devi, Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh.
India has fielded a 16-member team with eight participants each in the men’s and women’s category, while an additional four athletes have earned participation slots as hosts.
The squad also includes a number of rising talents, with Bedabrat Bharali and Gyaneshwari Yadav regarded among the promising youngsters to watch during the week-long event.
In the last edition, India returned empty-handed with only two lifters taking part in the event in China in 2025.
Originally scheduled for April, the championships were postponed because of tensions in western Asia.
The tournament will feature a stacked field of over170 athletes from 30 countries, including guest nations Australia and New Zealand.
The competition will also feature several Olympic and world champions. China’s Liu Huanhua, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 102kg category, headlines the field.
Qatar’s Fares Ibrahim, who won the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, will also compete, alongside North Korean world champions Kang Hyon Gyong and Ri Suk. (PTI)
