Kolkata: Two of India's brightest weightlifting talents Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli will train and compete in the 73kg category for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning duo are expected to return to training in a week's time at the national camp at NIS Patiala.
Lalrinnunga, a national record holder, had competed in the 67 kg category at the Games in Birmingham. But the weight classification is missing from the five categories at the Olympics.
Additionally, only one of the two lifters can participate at the Olympics in the category as the International Weightlifting Federation's (IWF) Olympic qualification ranking will only allow one athlete per country a spot. The IWF ranking will be based on weightlifters' results in six listed major international competitions starting from the 2022 World Championships in Colombia in November-December.
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Speaking to Firstpost from his hometown of Aizawl, Jeremy said he will start training in the 73 kg category from next week.
"I will be returning to the national camp in a week time and start my training for the 73 kg category immediately as it's going to be tough to change to a superior weight category. I intend to compete in the World Championships in the new category and don't have much time to waste," said Jeremy, who was the first Indian to be a Youth Olympic champion in 2018.
Competing in 73 kg indeed will be a stiff challenge as Sheuli already holds the national record of 316kg (total) in 73 kg while in clean and jerk his NR reads 173kg. Jeremy, on the other hand, has some catchup to do as 306 kg is his overall personal best (NR in 67 kg) and is still a six kg behind Achinta in clean and jerk.
National coach Vijay Sharma felt the decision to keep both the lifters in the same category was the only possible option as the next higher weight category after 73kg is 89kg, not suited for somebody like Sheuli.
"Keeping them both in the same category is the only option. But there's no reason for us to lose heart as they both are quality athletes and will compliment each other at the national and international level to do their best," said Sharma.
In total there will be 10 weight categories (five for each gender) at 2024 Olympics in Paris with six athletes allowed per nation (three per gender) across all the categories. The remaining weight categories for men are 61kg, 102kg, +102kg while the five categories for women are 49kg, 59kg, 71kg, 81kg, +81kg. Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu will continue to compete in the 49 kg category.
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