Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has called Japan her “happy hunting ground” after the Indian weightlifter ended her Asian Games medal drought in Aichi-Nagoya with a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category. The Indian lifted a total of 198kg – 87 kg in snatch and 111 kg in clean & jerk, a huge 17kgs behind gold medal winner Ri Song-gum of North Korea.
In the process, the Indian weightlifter filled the one glaring void in her glittering trophy cabinet, turning 12 years of waiting, near-misses and heartbreak into an medal. finished ninth on her debut in 2014 and missed the 2018 edition because of a back injury.
At the Hangzhou Games in 2023, she was within touching distance of the podium before a hip injury on the platform forced her to settle for fourth. The silver completes a collection that includes an Olympic silver, three World Championship medals, including a gold, multiple Commonwealth Games and Championships titles and an Asian Championships bronze.
“The Asian Games monkey is finally off my back. This is one medal that I always desired and finally the jinx has been broken at Aichi-Nagoya. Japan has been my happy hunting ground. The Olympics silver came in Tokyo 2020 and Japan once again ensured that I did not go back empty handed,” said in her column, released by SAI Media.
For Chanu, the medal came after short pause in her routine after months of relentless preparation. She had returned to training the very next day after winning gold at the in Glasgow last month, with Nagoya firmly in her sights.
According to the 32-year-old, the Asiad silver was an example of resilve and never-give-up attitude. “A sportsperson’s life is one of reflection and reaction. The Asian Games have taught me many things in life,” she said. “The biggest lesson was that of resolve. The never-give-up attitude was strengthened every time a serious injury threatened to derail my career.”
The 32-year-old also shut the debate between the Indian coach and foreign coach in at least weightlifting. It was under the guidance of weightlifting coach Vijay Sharma, won all her important medals including the ones in CWG, Asian Games and the Olympics.
Although it is every athlete’s personal call, hailed Sharma for the support all throughout since 2014. “In power sports like boxing and wrestling, the sports ministry, from time to time, has employed foreign coaches for better performance. I may have never felt the need for a foreign coach but that’s my personal call,” she said.
“Under national coach Vijay Sharma, my career has matured and flourished. When a coach stands by you during difficult times, the bond intensifies and since 2014 I have been in the safe hands of my coach. Now the question is whether we should get more foreign coaches in India or trust our own coaches?” she asked.
Mirabai also emphasized on the importance of having good coaches at the grassroots level. According to the ace lifter, coaching is not a quick fix business. For long-term success, home-bread coaches with good knowledge are needed.
“A good coach not only trains but makes sports attractive and funny. Just like a playschool. So, we must have coaches who can teach the absolute basics. No heavy-duty methodology. The fun element will develop awareness towards health and fitness,” she added.
In the new Khelo India Scheme, that are grand plans for the development of sports over the next five years and beyond, which includes the introduction of a National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB). Like the National Sports Governance Act, aimed at good and transparent governance, the NCAB will standardize the qualification of coaches and certify if a person is capable enough to groom youngsters the proper way.
