New Delhi, Aug 26: With the Asian Games now firmly in sight, Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu is leaving little to chance in her pursuit of the one major
medal missing from her collection.
The 32-year-old weightlifter has won medals at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, but an Asian Games medal has continued to elude her. With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4, staying injury-free has become one of the biggest priorities in her preparation.
A key part of that process has been her long-standing association with American strength and conditioning coach Dr Aaron Horschig, which began in November 2020. Even while training at her base in Modinagar under coach Vijay Sharma, Chanu remains in regular contact with Horschig through weekly video calls.
"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 and since Dr Horschig was a weightlifter himself, he knows every muscle in the body. This constant review has kept me in shape," Chanu told SAI Media.
Mirabai Chanu wastes no time after Commonwealth Games gold
Chanu returned from Glasgow with her third Commonwealth Games gold medal, but there was little time for celebration.
The Indian star resumed training almost immediately, even after the weightlifting hall at the Commonwealth Games venue had been dismantled. Chanu, Sharma and physiotherapist Rohit Chhabria found another gymnasium in Glasgow and paid for a training session before she returned to India.
She then went straight back to her training base in Modinagar instead of returning home to Manipur.
"I was straight back to training at Modinagar. In fact, 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,'" Chanu said.
That determination is rooted in a history of disappointment at the continental event.
Chanu missed the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta because of a severe back injury, while a hip and thigh injury disrupted her campaign at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Competing in the 49kg category, she finished fourth after struggling with the injury during the snatch section.
The Asian Games, therefore, represent unfinished business for the three-time Olympian.
'The real test lies ahead'
Chanu's latest Commonwealth Games triumph did little to alter her assessment of what awaits her in Nagoya.
She lifted 190kg in Glasgow, comprising an 85kg snatch and 105kg clean and jerk, to win the women's 48kg gold and set new Commonwealth Games records in all three categories.
Nigeria's Ruth Asuquo Nyong finished second with 168kg, while Malaysia's Irene Jane Henry took bronze with 167kg.
But Chanu does not believe the Commonwealth Games provided the kind of test she will face in Japan.
"To be honest, 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 is likely to come from some of Asia's strongest weightlifting nations.
Chanu expects Chinese, North Korean, Japanese and Thai lifters to provide the biggest challenge, with the Asian Games field featuring several athletes capable of pushing her to the limit.
Her experience at the Paris Olympics is a reminder of just how fine the margins can be. Chanu finished fourth in Paris after Thailand's Surodchana Khambao edged her by just one kilogram, lifting 200kg in total.
'You will probably see the Olympics at the Asian Games'
Chanu's own best total stands at 205kg - 89kg in the snatch and 116kg in the clean and jerk - a mark she set at the 2021 Asian Championships and matched more recently at the national championships in February 2026.
But rather than setting a specific medal target or total, her focus is on managing her preparation and producing her best performance when it matters.
"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," Chanu said.
With the competition expected to be considerably stronger than what she encountered in Glasgow, injury management could prove just as important as the numbers on the bar.
"So far, I have felt good with my body," she said, underlining the importance of the work being done with Sharma, Horschig and the support team.
LA 2028 can wait
While the Los Angeles Olympics remain part of the long-term picture, Chanu is refusing to look too far ahead.
The weight category at LA 2028 is expected to be 53kg, which would require her to add body mass. Chanu believes that transition will be manageable, but says the Asian Games must come first.
"In Los Angeles, the weight class will be 53 kgs 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.
For now, the calculation is simple: Nagoya first, Los Angeles later.
"I reckon all those who will play in Japan will target LA 2028 but for now it's mission Asian Games for me," Chanu added.
Chanu will lead India's five-member weightlifting contingent at the Asian Games 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 in Aichi, Nagoya.
For a lifter who has already stood on Olympic and Commonwealth podiums, the Asian Games remain the missing piece. And this time, Chanu's preparation is built around making sure that injuries - rather than her performance on the platform - do not decide her fate.
