Who will be the main competitors of Mirabai Chanu in women’s 49kg weightlifting?

Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu secured the only quota for India in weightlifting for Paris 2024. She confirmed her place after finishing third in Group B at the IWF World Cup 2024 in Phuket.

According to the rules, it was mandatory for weightlifters to attend the World Weightlifting Championships 2023 and this year’s IWF World Cup to be eligible for participation in the Summer Games.

Chanu attended the weigh-in but avoided lifting at the 2023 Worlds to stay fit for the Asian Games.

A lifter also had to participate in at least three of the following events — 2022 World Championships, 2023 Continental Championships, 2023 Grand Prix 1, 2023 Grand Prix II and 2024 Continental Championships.

Chanu competed at the 2022 Worlds and 2023 Asian Championships, before marking her attendance at the 2023 Grand Prix II.

Who will be Mirabai Chanu’s key competitors at Paris Olympics?

1. HOU ZHIHUI (CHINA)

Defending champion Zhihui will be the favourite to win gold once more. In Tokyo 2020, she had lifted a total of 210 kg in the same category (snatch – 94kg, clean & jerk – 116kg) to set three Olympic records. She has won four World Championship medals in 49kg (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) alongside three Worlds snatch gold medals (2018, 2019, 2023).

Zhihui Hou of Team China won gold in the last edition of the Games when Mirabai had won silver.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

The 27-year-old also won two back-to-back Asian Championships gold in 2019 and 2020. She had suffered an injury setback ahead of Rio 2016 for which Meng Suping ended up replacing her in the super-heavyweight class and eventually won gold.

2. MIHAELA VALENTINA CAMBEI (ROMANIA)

Chanu has set an entry weight of 200kg. Only two athletes have set higher entry weights. While Zhihui enters the contest at 210kg, Romania’s Mihaela Valentina Cambei has the mark set at 205kg.

Weightlifting runs in the Cambei family, with her brother Lucian having won multiple U-15 European Championship medals.

Romania’s Mihaela Valentina Cambei has the mark set at 205kg and will be one of Mirabai’s strongest contenders at the 2024 Games.
| Photo Credit:
Instagram/Mihaela Valentina Cambei

Cambei is a 2018 Youth Olympic bronze medallist in the 48kg category. She, additionally, has two Worlds snatch medals as well (2022 silver, 2023 bronze).

3. JOURDAN DELACRUZ (USA)

Delacruz has matched Chanu’s entry weight at 200kg. She made her debut at Tokyo 2020 where she lifted 86kg in snatch before failing to lift 108kg in clean and jerk thrice. She is a two-time 2023 World Championship bronze medallist, having lifted 112kg in clean and jerk and a total of 200kg in the said edition.

Delacruz, who has a degree in Dietics and Clinical Nutrition Services from the University of North Colorado, is the winner of the 2018 junior Worlds silver in 53kg and a three-time gold medallist at the Pan American Games.