The former world champion, who seeks her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, expressed that she will not risk pushing herself too hard this week as she aims to peak for the Asian Games in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
“I will not exert my full effort at the Commonwealth Games. My focus is on the Asian Games, which are just around the corner. I am training accordingly. Hence, my performance and effort here will align with that plan,” Chanu told PTI.
At 31, she plans to target the 90kg snatch at the Asian Games, anticipating significantly tougher competition from established weightlifting nations like China, Thailand, and North Korea.
“It’s hard to predict how the body will respond on a particular day, but I will definitely aim for 90kg at the Asian Games.”
An Asian Games medal remains the sole major accolade missing from Chanu’s illustrious career, which includes an Olympic silver medal, two World Championships medals, and three Commonwealth Games medals.
The Manipuri weightlifter is a strong favorite in the women’s 48kg category in Glasgow, needing only valid lifts in both the snatch and clean and jerk to secure her fourth Commonwealth Games medal and third consecutive gold.
Chanu also confirmed her intention to move up to the 53kg weight class after the Asian Games due to changes in Olympic weight categories ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
She will compete in the 48kg category at the Commonwealth Games and the 49kg division at the Asian Games before making the permanent transition.
The veteran recognized that managing her weight over the years has been one of the most challenging parts of her career, and she is open to the prospect of competing in a higher weight class in the future.
“Weight management is incredibly challenging. Throughout my competitive career, I have maintained either 48kg or 49kg. It’s tough. You need to monitor a lot of factors. It consumes a significant part of a athlete’s life,” Chanu remarked.
“I am genuinely pleased that I will be competing at 53kg. It feels freeing not to have to restrict my weight. However, as the weight class increases, the competition will intensify, and I will need to elevate my performance,” she added.
Chanu also commented on India’s reduced weightlifting quota at the Commonwealth Games due to a series of anti-doping violations among Indian lifters, urging athletes to remain vigilant.
“I want to emphasize that we all must be careful about our diets because consuming even one wrong item can derail your entire career. Trust in the hard work you put in,” she stated.
