"It has affected me mentally, I went into depression" - Mirabai Chanu aims to rise from the ashes and conquer at Paris 2024 Olympics
Mirabai Chanu recently said she has put the disappointment of the previous two Asian Games behind her and is fully focused on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Chanu had to miss the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, citing a back problem. She chose to skip the event, use the time to recover from the injury, and be prepared for the Olympic qualifiers later that year.
The Manipur native eventually qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she won the silver medal — the second Olympic medal by an Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari.
Mirabai Chanu entered the 2022 Asian Games in China with high hopes. In her bid to lift 117kg to surpass Thailand's Thanyathon Sukcharoen for the bronze medal, she sustained a hip joint injury and had to be carried off the podium by her coach Vijay Sharma.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the 29-year-old disclosed that she has had to fight depression due to her injury troubles.
"I missed out on a medal at the 2018 Asian Games due to injury and unfortunately I suffered an injury at the 2022 Asian Games as well and missed out on a sure shot chance of winning a medal. It has affected me mentally. It was disappointing. went into depression for a while," she said.
With her injury troubles behind her, Mirabai Chanu said she is fully focused on the upcoming Paris Olympics and added that a medal in the French capital will make up for all the disappointments in her career.
"But now I am totally focused on the Paris Olympics. I am determined to win an Olympic medal. A medal at the Olympics will help me to overcome the disappointments I have suffered during my career due to injuries. Missing two Asian Games medals is a big setback for my career. But I am motivating myself for the Olympics,” she added.
Chanu expects tough competition only from the Chinese weightlifters at this year's Olympics.
"Only the lifters from China will prove difficult to beat. I do not expect too much trouble from lifters from any other nation," she opined.
Mirabai Chanu qualified for Paris 2024 Olympics at IWF World Cup in Phuket
Mirabai Chanu made her injury return at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, where she sealed her spot at the Paris Olympic Games.
Competing for the first time since the Asian Games in Hangzhou, she finished third in Group B and 12th overall in the women's 49kg. She registered a total lift of 184kg (81kg snatch + 103kg clean and jerk).
According to the eligibility rules for the Paris Olympics, weightlifters were required to attend the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships and the 2024 IWF World Cup. Besides the two, athletes must also take part in at least three of the following five events: the 2022 World Championships, the 2023 Continental Championships, the 2023 Grand Prix 1, the 2023 Grand Prix II, and the 2024 Continental Championships.
Having taken part in the 2022 World Championships and 2023 Asian Championships, and having attended the weigh-in at the 2023 World Championships, Mirabai Chanu's participation in this year's IWF World Cup made her eligible for the Paris Olympics. It will be her third appearance at the quadrennial event after the 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Games.