Mirabai Chanu Secures Provisional Paris Olympics Berth; Finishes 11th at IWF World Cup

Phuket: Indian weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu secured a strong provisional qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a third-place finish in the women’s 49kg Group B event at the IWF World Cup.

Chanu, returning from a six-month injury layoff, displayed resilience by lifting a total of 184kg (81kg snatch + 103kg clean and jerk). This performance met the criteria for Paris qualification, which includes participation in two mandatory events and three other qualifiers.

“The goal was to secure my spot for the Paris Olympics, and now that I am almost there, all my focus is on making a mark in Paris,” Chanu said.

While not at her personal best due to the recent injury, Chanu successfully completed five clean lifts. Her focus, according to head coach Vijay Sharma, was on regaining confidence after the rehabilitation period.

With the qualification practically secured, the target now shifts towards peak performance at the Paris Games. Chanu will have time to improve on her lifts, considering her personal bests of 88kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk.