Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 Review: Bindyarani Devi bags double; Mirabai Chanu, others disappoint

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Chanu was making a comeback from injury.

The Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 began on May 6 and will continue until May 13, 2023, in Jinju, South Korea. The event serves as the second tournament in the qualification series for the Paris 2024 Olympics. While the event will continue until May 13, no Indian athletes are slated to participate in the remaining categories as India's stay at the event ended on May 8 on a disappointing note.

India concluded its campaign with three silver medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023. Six Indian weightlifters -  Mirabai Chanu (49kg), Bindyarani Devi (55kg), Shubham Todkar (61kg), Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg), Achinta Sheuli (73kg), and Narayana Ajith (73kg), participated in the Asian Weightlifting championships 2023.

India’s performance at Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023

Mirabai Chanu (49kg)

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 silver medalist and two-time Commonwealth Games champion Mirabai Chanu finished a disappointing sixth in the women’s 49kg with a total of 194kg lift - 85kg in snatch and 109kg in the clean & jerk (C&J). After registering 109 kg in C&J on her first attempt, Mirabai skipped the remaining two attempts due to a hip issue. The event saw China’s Jiang Huihua claim the top spot with a total lift of 207kg.

Bindyarani Devi (55kg)

Bindyarani Devi claimed two silver medals in the women’s 55kg (overall and clean & jerk categories) at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023. The Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medalist, Bindyarani produced a sensational performance with a total effort of 194kg - 83kg in snatch and 111kg in clean & jerk events. Her clean-and-jerk effort also gave her a silver medal at the championship.

It is important to note that the 55kg is a non-Olympic event and medals are only awarded in the Olympics; based on a combined lift and not in individual categories.

Shubham Todkar (61kg)

The National weightlifting championships gold medalist Shubham Todkar finished sixth among nine participants in Group B (10th overall) at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023. Shubham lifted a combined lift of 263kg (116kg in snatch and 147kg in clean & jerk) in the men’s 61kg Group B to conclude his journey in the 2023 edition of the tournament. 

Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg)

Commonwealth Games 2022 champion Jeremy Lalrinnunga clinched the silver medal in the snatch event of the men’s 67kg at the continental event. However, Jeremy couldn’t register a successful clean & jerk and was the only weightlifter among the 12 participants who did not finish the event. With a 141kg lift in the non-Olympic category (67kg), Jeremy took home the silver medal at the prestigious event.

Ajith Narayana (73kg)

Ajith Narayana topped Group B of the men’s 73kg event at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 and finished with a ninth-place finish. Ajith, who was competing in his first-ever international tournament lifted a total of 307kg, with 139kg in snatch and 168kg in the clean & jerk event.

Achinta Sheuli (73kg)

The Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medalist Achinta Sheuli, who was making a comeback after suffering from a back issue, recorded a combined effort of 305kg (140 kg in snatch and 165 kg in C&J) to finish second in Group B and tenth overall. Thus, both the representatives from India in the men’s 73kg couldn’t win a medal for the nation despite finishing first and second in Group B.

India’s medalists at Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023

Athlete	Weight	Event	Medal
Bindyarani Devi	Women's 55kg	Clean & Jerk	Silver
Bindyarani Devi	Women's 55kg	Overall (snatch and C&J)	Silver
Jeremy Lalrinnunga	Men's 67kg	Snatch	Silver

Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023: Weightlifter who impressed the most

Bindyarani Devi 

Bindyarani Devi was the most impressive Indian weightlifter at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023. She won two silver medals for the nation when other medal hopes couldn’t live up to the expectations. Bindyarani started proceedings well as she lifted two of her snatch attempts 80kg and 83kg, but her 85kg lift was considered a no-lift.

After being placed fourth at the end of the snatch event, Bindyarani went on to lift 111kg in clean & jerk to not only ensure India a medal in C&J but also in the overall women’s 55kg.

Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023: Weightlifters who disappointed

Mirabai Chanu

Mirabai Chanu was expected to go even further than her bronze medal victory at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2020. However, she wasn’t able to showcase her dominance at the Asian Championships 2023 in the presence of a star-studded field as she finished disappointing sixth in the competition.

Achinta Sheuli

After his gold-medal triumph at the prestigious Commonwealth Games 2022, Achinta has been rated highly by many. However, entering the competition after a back injury, the 21-year-old couldn’t put up an impressive show and failed to win any medal after finishing tenth.