India’s leading javelin lifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has confirmed her place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, after finishing third in the women’s 49kg Group B event at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on Monday April 1st.
Chanu, returning after six months due to injury, lifted a total of 184kg (81kg + 103kg) in the World Cup. Which is the last in the right to qualify for Paris 2024. With her event completed, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist met the criteria for the Paris Olympics, which competes in two compulsory events and three other
qualifiers. China’s Jiang Huihua currently ranks first in the women’s 49kg Olympic Qualifying Rankings (OQR), ahead of the 2017 world champion who holds the second position.
The announcement of the qualification for the Paris Games will come after the end of the World Cup, when the OQR will be updated. The top 10 lifters in each class will qualify for the flagship quadrennial event.
Chanu competed in the finals at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023, where she injured her leg. Despite not being at his best in Phuket, the 29-year-old managed to rack up a flawless five. His rise and fall in the clean and jerk category has been far from his best effort. Chanu has a personal best of 88kg in the clean and jerk, having broken the world record of 119kg in the clean and jerk at the Asian Championships in 2021.
However, as he emerges from injury and rehabilitation, the star athlete still has time to reach his peak in July. Chanu is likely to be the only Indian weightlifter at Paris 2024, which will be his third appearance at the Olympics.
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